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Coming  Judgment 


J.    H.  GARRATT 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 


BOSTON 
JAMES  H.  EARLE,  PUBLISHER 

178    WASHINGTON    STREET 
1899 


^3 


^■^K^ 


^^ 


Copyright,  1899 
BY  J.  HOWE  GARRATT. 

All  Rights  Reserved. 


PREFACE. 


In  putting  forth  this  testimony  the  writer  disclaims  all  attempt  at 
literary  effort  or  effect,  realizing  it  would  be  utterly  out  of  place,  even 
if  he  were  able,  which  he  is  not. 

It  is  a  serious  matter,  and  therefore  seriously  dealt  with.  Utmost 
plainness  of  speech  has  been  intentionally  used.  The  book  is  for 
instruction,  not  entertainment.  There  has  been  a  searching  of  foun- 
dations, in  order  that  the  false  may  be  shown  up  and  the  true  brought 
to  light ;  that  we  may  get  down  through  all  shifting  and  unstable 
"sands "of  tradition  to  the  bed-rock  of  God's  Word,  "that  liveth 
and  abideth  forever." 

The  writer  is  not  a  novice,  having  been  a  ' '  believer "  for  nearly 
thirty  years,  though  with  many  years  of  most  unfaithful  walk,  falling 
into  grievous  sin  and  consequent  obscurity  of  faith  and  testimony. 
In  fact,  the  fall  into  sin  was  occasioned  largely  by  the  existence  of  the 
very  evils  spoken  of  in  this  testimony ;  and  thus,  after  restoration, 
there  has  been  the  desire  to  give  the  warning  cry,  for  having  felt  the 
heavy  chastening  rod  of  God,  and  thus  been  brought  to  renewed  re- 
pentance and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  there  has  been  an  "enlighten- 
ing of  the  eyes  of  the  understanding"  also,  especially  on  seeing  the 
dulness  of  conscience  among  Christians  concerning  personal  sinning, 
and  the  general  indifference  to  coming  judgment.  How  can  the  world 
be  expected  to  have  any  fear  of  coming  judgment  when  Christians 
do  n't  appear  to  believe  in  it,  or  Christian  preachers  proclaim  it? 

Having  waited  for  years  for  some  one  else  to  do  this,  and  only  one 
or  two  small  tracts  being  known  to  exist  on  the  subject,  very  insuffi- 
ciently stated,  the  writer  now  puts  forth  this,  with  the  prayer  that 
God  would  overmle  anything  contrary  to  His  mind  and  Word,  and  use 


174065 


4  PREFACE, 

it  to  open  the  eyes  of  His  dear  children  to  these  things,  that  they  may 
separate  from  all  that  is  evil,  and  honor  Him  by  a  renewed  allegiance 
to  His  Word. 

These  prefatory  remarks  will  be  better  understood,  perhaps,  after 
reading  the  book. 

The  Author. 


'       OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 

COMING  JUDGMENT. 


The  Word  of  God  teaches  definitely  the  facts  of  sin 
and  salvation,  of  judgment  and  perdition.  Although  it 
is  taught  that  every  soul  of  man  must  give  account  to 
God,  yet  the  phrase  *'  great  and  general  judgment"  is 
not  found  in  the  Scriptures.  It  was  coined  by  preachers 
of  the  past  generation. 

There  have  been  in  the  past  several  judgments,  as 
the  flood,  the  destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah, 
etc.,  undoubtedly  premonitory  of  greater  judgment  to 
come. 

It  is  stated  in  II  Peter  3  :  7  that  the  world,  once  de- 
stroyed by  water,  will  be  destroyed  again  by  a  judg- 
ment of  fire. 

Although  all  must  appear  before  God,  yet  it  is  true 
that  those  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus  will  never  come  into 
a  condemnatory  judgment  (see  Rom.  8:1),  their  sins 
having  been  judged  by  the  Lord  Jesus  on  the  cross, 
when  he  died  as  their  sin-offering.  But  their  works 
must  be  tried  by  fire,  as  a  preliminar}^  to  their  receiving 
rewards  from  His  hand. 

In  Peter's  epistles  it  is  said  that  "judgment  must 
begin  from  the  house  of  God." 

Paul  speaks  of  the  present  age   as  man's  judgment 


COMING  JUDGMENT. 


day  (I  Cor.  4:3,  margin)  in  distinction,  undoubtedly, 
from  God's  judgment  day,  which  is  still  future. 

Evidently  God  is  to  bring  different  classes  into  judg- 
ment at  different  times.  There  is  the  judgment  of  the 
living  nations  recorded  in  Matt.  25,  at  the  time  **  when 
the  Son  of  Man  shall  come  in  his  glory  ;  "  the  judg- 
ment of  Christendom  at  the  close  of  this  age  ;  then  the 
judgment  of  all  the  wicked  dead,  raised  from  the  dead 
for  judgment,  —  this  at  the  close  of  the  thousand  years' 
reign  of  Christ  with  his  church. 

It  is  not  proposed  to  speak  at  length  concerning  all 
these  judgments,  but  that  one  only  that  most  concerns 
the  church  at  present,  viz.,  the  judgment  of,  or  *'  cutting 
off"  of,  Gentile  Christendom  at  the  close  of,  and  which 
will  constitute  the  closing  of,  this  age  or  dispensation. 

In  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Romans  we  read  that 
Israel  is,  because  of  unbelief,  cut  ofl'  from  something 
styled  an  olive  root,  and  the  Gentiles  grafted  in  in  their 
place.  What  is  this  olive  tree  trunk  upon  which  this 
cutting  off  and  ingrafting  takes  place  ?  Evidently  it  is 
dispensational  privilege  or  blessing. 

Israel  had  enjoyed  this  blessing  ever  since  they  were 
a  nation.  At  the  first  they  had  a  God-given  law,  tab- 
ernacle, sacrifices,  and  ordinances.  God-given  leaders 
and  prophets.  Yet  from  the  first,  also,  there  were  contin- 
ual lapses  into  idolatry,  and  the  "  unbelief"  was  more 
and  more  manifested  in  ever-increasing  perversion  of  the 
truth,  till  when  Christ  came  there  was  but  little  of  the 
original  sacrifices  and  ordinances  to  be  seen.  There 
was  a  general  following  of  *'  traditions"  instead  of  the 


COMING   JUDGMENT. 


definite  God-given  *'  law  and  testimony."  This  caused 
such  spiritual  blindness  that  they  failed  to  recognize 
their  Messiah  when  he  appeared,  resulting  in  his  rejec- 
tion and  crucifixion.  Then  came  their  "cutting  off" 
from  this  dispensational  privilege,  and  the  transfer  of 
this  privilege  to  the  Gentile  world,  —  styled  ingrafting 
into  the  olive  root.  But  it  is  accompanied  by  a  definite 
warning  (vs.  21,  22)  that  if  they  continue  not  in  His 
''  goodness,"  they  too  shall  be  cut  off,  which  practically 
is  a  prophecy,  as  history  proves,  that  just  that  thing  will 
in  the  end  happen. 

Probably  one  reason  why  the  teaching  in  this  chapter 
is  so  little  recognized  is  the  taking  it  to  mean  individual 
salvation,  as  if  Christ  were  the  '*  olive  tree"  into  which 
believers  are  ingrafted  individually.  But  that  it  cannot 
be  is  evident,  for  there  is  no  "  cutting  off"  of  believers 
who  are  really  once  '*  baptized  by  one  spirit  into  the  one 
body."  Besides  Israel  as  a  whole  is  spoken  of,  there- 
fore it  is  the  Gentiles  as  a  whole  also  that  are  ''  grafted 
in."  The  olive  root  that  Israel  is  cut  off  from  isn't 
Christ  or  salvation,  for  they  were  not  in  Him,  nor  were 
they  saved.  It  is  therefore  evident  that  it  is  dispensa- 
tional privilege  or  blessing. 

What  has  occurred  in  the  Gentile  world  during  the 
two  thousand  years  since  this  transfer  of  dispensational 
privilege  was  made? 

The  gospel  has  been  preached  and  Christianity 
has  grown  and  spread,  like  the  tree  in  the  parable, 
till  it  has  covered  the  whole  earth.  It  is  seen  in  the 
form    of  great    religious    systems,    calling    themselves 


COMING   JUDGMENT. 


the  churches  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  There  is  the 
Greek  church,  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  the 
Protestant  church  with  its  many  subdivisions,  all  to- 
gether constituting  "Christendom."  The  true  church 
or  company  of  genuine  believers  is  scattered  among 
this  great  mass  contained  and  hidden  in  it.  That  is, 
along  with  the  true  are  a  vast  number  of  spurious 
*' professors"  forming  a  **  mixed  multitude"  as  there 
was  in  Israel  throughout  their  career.  So  there  is  a 
parallel  between  Israel  and  this  Gentile  religious  Chris- 
tendom, but  little  recognized,  yet  becoming  more  and 
more  marked,  and  which  will  sooner  or  later  end  in  a 
like  '*  cutting  off"  in  judgment,  and  according  to  the 
same  Scripture,  Israel  will  again  be  grafted  in,  and  dealt 
with  in  a  new  dispensation. 

In  proportion  as  Christianity  has  grown  and  spread 
it  has  been  corrupted,  i.  e.^  as  to  the  general  mass. 
From  time  to  time  there  have  been  small  companies  of 
Christians  that  have  come  out  from  the  corrupt  systems 
and  returned  to  a  more  or  less  scriptural  purity  of 
doctrine  and  practice. 

Leaving  aside  for  the  time  the  great  Greek  and 
Romish  Church  systems,  which  it  is  easy  to  see  are 
filled  with  ecclesiastical  evils  and  unscriptural  practices, 
let  us  look  for  a  little  at  the  Protestant  Church  system 
and  inquire  whether  it,  too,  may  not  be  full  of  similar 
evils. 

The  first  and  foremost  thing  presented  to  the  notice 
of  the  world  by  this  great  church  system  is  ''public 
worship."     When,  let  us  ask  at  the  outset,  is  there  any 


COMING   JUDGMENT. 


warrant  for  the  *' maintenance  of  public  worship?" 
There  is  none.  It  is  simply  traditional ;  from  the  mind 
of  man,  not  from  God. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  cause  or  excuse  for  it 
at  the  first,  it  exists  to-day  the  most  prominent  of  the 
whole  string  of  ecclesiastical  evils,  and  out  of  which, 
and  necessitated  by  which,  most  of  the  others  have 
come  into  existence  and  continuance. 

If  asked  why  there  is  a  necessity  for  the  maintenance 
of  *' public  worship"  many  will  answer,  *'Why,  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  be  sure."  But  that  is  not  God's 
appointed  way.  There  is  no  hint,  much  less  a  definite 
teaching,  that  the  unsaved  are  expected  to  come  to 
church  to  be  preached  to.  Neither  is  there  any  hint 
that  in  Christians  meeting  together  the  first  object  of 
such  meeting  should  be  to  preach  to  the  unsaved.  God 
has  appointed  and  given  to  the  church  ''evangelists," 
who  are  to  go  forth  to  preach  to  the  unsaved.  Chris- 
tians are  evidently  expected  to  meet  by  themselves. 
Not  that  the  unsaved  are  to  be  excluded,  but  their 
coming  in  is  incidental,  not  appointed. 

Along  with  the  supposed  necessity  for  public  worship 
there  naturally  exists  the  necessity  for  public  buildings 
of  worship,  salaried  ministers,  assistants.  Choirs, 
sextons,  etc.,  requiring  the  expenditure  of  immense 
sums  of  money  that  evidently  God  never  intended 
should  be  turned  in  those  directions.  (The  only  ''  col- 
lections "  we  read  of  in  the  Acts  or  Epistles  were  for 
poor  saints.) 

Not   only    in    these    ecclesiastical    things    is    there  a 


lo  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

departure  from  the  teaching  of  the  Word,  but  the 
Protestant  church  is  more  and  more  corrupting  the 
gospel  or  doctrine  of  Christianity  as  found  in  the  Word 
of  God. 

Right  here  it  might  be  well  to  make  a  concise  state- 
ment of  what  the  gospel  really  is,  before  speaking  of 
the  false  gospels,  etc. 

The  Gospel. 

In  a  word  it  is  the  person  and  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  the  redemption  and  salvation  of  lost  sinners. 

We  know  little  of  the  beginning  of  "  sin"  or  "  law- 
lessness" as  it  is  defined  in  the  first  Epistle  of  John. 
But  from  Peter's  Epistle  we  learn  that  a  company  of 
angels,  probably  through  pride  and  desire  for  greater 
power,  *'  Kept  not  their  first  estate  but  left  their  own 
habitation,"  i.  e.^  it  would  seem,  usurped  to  themselves 
a  higher  position  than  God  had  given.  They  thus 
**feH"  and  are  reserved  unto  judgment,  no  redemption 
being  possible  for  them.  Their  leader,  the  devil,  insti- 
gated our  first  parents  with  this  same  desire  for  greater 
knowledge  and  therefore  supposed  power,  and  so  they 
also  gave  up  their  allegiance  to  God,  and  stepped  over 
the  bounds  he  had  assigned  them,  and  thus  became 
sinners. 

But  immediately  in  this  case  God  brings  in  a  won- 
derful provision  for  redemption,  showing  that  He  had 
foreseen  the  fall  of  man,  and  had  seen  how  it  would 
give  an  occasion  for  the  working  out  of  such  an  exhi- 
bition of  His  love   in  a   plan  of  redemption   as  would 


COMING   JUDGMENT,  n 

greatly  magnify  all  his  excellencies,  and  so  in  the  end 
cause  that  work  of  Satan,  intended  to  be  only  evil  and 
damaging  to  God,  to  be  turned  by  the  infinite  power 
and  wisdom  of  God  into  great  good  for  His  creatures 
and  greater  glory  to  Himself. 

God  made  man  originally  **  in  his  likeness,"  /.  ^., 
morally  and  mentally — a  thinking,  emotional  being, 
able  to  reason  and  choose,  capable  of  loving  and 
hating.  He  put  the  first  pair  in  a  beautiful  garden, 
the  finished  work  of  His  creation,  where  He  had  pro- 
nounced everything  '*  very  good."  In  these  surround- 
ings they  could  enjoy  to  the  utmost  the  beauties  of  His 
creation,  and  enjoy  one  another,  and  above  all  enjoy 
unhindered  communion  with  Himself.  He  gave  them 
authority  over  all  things,  yet  by  giving  them  one  com- 
mand, they  were  made  to  recognize  the  fact  that  they 
were  subject  to  one  higher  than  themselves.  This  was 
a  state  of  innocence  and  they  were  on  probation. 

But  temptation  entered,  they  listened  to  the  lie  of 
Satan,  and  disobeying  the  one  command  given  by  God, 
fell  from  their  state  of  innocence  and  consequent  com- 
munion with  God.  Not  only  so,  but  they  lost  their  holy 
nature,  and  became  inherently  sinful.  They  "died" 
spiritually,  as  God  had  threatened  they  should.  '*In 
the  day  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die." 

This  testing  of  their  allegiance  in  itself  considered 
was  an  honor,  and  had  they  not  yielded,  undoubtedly 
their  fellowship  and  communion  with  God  would  have 
been  all  the  closer.  But  they  put  their  supposed 
interests    ahead    of  obedience    to    God's   requirements. 


12  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

They  thus  became  spiritually  "dead,"  and  this  state 
is  handed  down  to  every  member  of  their  posterity. 
Thus  are  sinners  **lost;"  for  this  condition  of  spiritual 
death  will  end  in  the  **  second  death"  or  eternal  pun- 
ishment, for  this  is  the  sure  word  of  God.  For  will  a 
holy  God  forgive  a  guilty  sinner?  Will  He  in  any  way 
give  him  back  his  forfeited  life?  It  may  be  asked,  "Can 
He  do  it  if  He  would?  "  Must  not  the  sinner  stand  for- 
ever the  penalty  due  his  guilt  and  sjn,  in  order  to  vindi- 
cate the  righteous  justice  of  God,  and  show  the  utter 
abhorrence  his  perfect  holiness  has  toward  sin? 

Just  here  begins  the  wondrous  story  of  grace,  that 
unspeakable  glorious  plan  of  redemption  resulting  in  the 
salvation  of  many  of  the  fallen  race,  and  the  final  estab- 
lishment  of  the  kingdom  of  God  upon  the  earth.  God 
has  forestalled  the  sinners'  need,  and  provided  a  Savior, 
"  mighty  to  save."  God  is  not  taken  by  surprise,  He 
has  a  plan  ready.  He  has  found  a  ransom.  Immedi- 
ately upon  the  sinning  of  our  first  parents,  salvation  is 
promised  through  One  to  come  who  should  "  bruise  the 
serpent's  head."  This  One  does  not  come  from  the 
ranks  of  fallen  man  as  such  ;  for  can  one  sinner  ransom 
another?  Neither  does  he  come  from  the  ranks  of  the 
holy  angels,  for  no  angel  however  exalted  can  atone 
by  his  life  or  death  for  human  guilt.  It  is  God  himself, 
in  the  person  of  His  Son,  "taking  on  the  likeness  of 
sinful  flesh,"  /.  ^.,  becoming  one  of  our  race,  and  so 
being  both  God  and  man,  by  His  death  on  the  cross, 
fully  satisfies  the  just  demands  of  the  holy  but  broken 
law.     It  was  necessarv  that  He  should  be  both  God  and 


COMING   JUDGMEAT.  13 

man,  that  He  might  become  a  mediator  between  God 
and  man. 

It  was  necessary  that  He  should  be  sinless,  so  being 
without  sin  himself,  He  could  "  bear  our  sins  in  His  own 
body  on.the  tree,"  and  thus  make  a  righteovis  and  per- 
fect sacrifice  that  could  be  accepted  by  God. 

Thus  God  himself  has  borne  the  penalty  of  our  sins, 
and  His  righteous  justice  is  legally  satisfied.  There  is 
nothing  more  that  can  be  required.  Full  reconciliation 
has  been  made,  which  has  resulted  in  the  atonement  or 
at-one-ment  of  the  justified  sinner  and  God. 

It  was  necessary  also  that  He  should  be  both  God 
and  man,  that  after  having  put  away  sin  by  the  sacri- 
fice of  himself,  rising  from  the  dead  He  could  then  give 
life  to  those  believing  on  Him.  . 

Christ  did  not  die  to  regain  the  love  of  God,  but  His 
dying  is  the  outflowing  of  that  love  to  ruined  man. 
Man's  sin  puts  a  barrier  to  that  love,  and  God  himself 
puts  the  barrier  away  by  the  sacrifice  of  His  Son,  and 
all  that  His  righteous  law  may  be  honored.  For  He  is 
not  indifferent  to  sin.  He  must  punish  it,  because  He 
is  infinitel}^  righteous. 

The  full  curse  of  the  law  fell  on  the  sinner's  substi- 
tute. The  cross  is  thus  the  eternal  witness  of  the 
righteousness  of  God,  and  in  such  a  way  as  to  also 
manifest  His  wondrous  love  to  mankind. 

So  terrible  is  the  evil  of  sin,  and  so  inexorable  is 
the  justice  of  God  !  How  great,  then,  is  that  love  of 
God  toward  sinners,  that  gave  His  only  begotten  Son  to 
die  for  them  ! 


14  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

In  like  manner  His  holiness  is  also  vindicated.  His 
abhorrence  of  sin  is  manifested  in  the  strongest  expres- 
sion of  His  displeasure.  *'  He  cast  off  and  abhorred 
and  was  wroth  with  his  anointed,"  when  *'  He  was  made 
to  be  sin  for  us."  •  • 

Satan's  malevolent  plan  to  thwart  God's  glorious 
work  and  ruin  the  race,  instead,  gave  God  the  opportu- 
nity to  display  His  love  in  the  work  of  redemption,  as  He 
never  could  have  done  if  man  had  remained  innocent. 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  suffered  from  God  for  sin.  He 
suffered  from  man  for  righteousness.  But  it  was  by  the 
will  of  God  He  came,  predetermined  to  die  a  sin-offering 
for  the  guilty. 

He  bore  the  sin  and  also  the  penalty.  The  penalty 
for  sin  is  separation  from  God.  Thus  He  felt  that  sep- 
aration from  the  Father  which  was  the  crowning  agony 
of  all  His  sufferings,  and  which,  but  for  His  sacrifice, 
every  guilty  sinner  would  have  to  feel  to  all  eternity. 

Atonement  of  sin  by  sacrifice  was  ordained  of  God 
from  the  beginning,  implied  in  the  first  promise,  and 
acknowledged  in  Abel's  sacrifice.  It  is  foreshadowed 
through  the  whole  elaborate  Jewish  ceremonial  service. 
Prophets  proclaimed  it.  Jesus  verified  it,  and  it  is  con- 
tinued in  the  "Lord's  Supper."  Lev.  17,  "It  is  the 
blood  that  maketh  atonement  for  the  soul."  Rom.  3, 
**  In  his  blood  is  propitiation."  The  Passover  Lamb 
shows  very  expressively  the  saving  power  of  Jesus' 
sacrifice.  When  God  sees  the  blood  (not  when  we  see 
it)  we  are  safe. 

In  Lev.  16,  the  High  Priest  takes  the  blood  into  the 


COMING   JUDGMENT. 


presence  of  God  and  sprinkles  it  on  the  mercy-seat  and 
seven  times  before  it.  Then  their  hands  were  laid  on 
the  scape-goat,  and  so  the  goat  was  sent  away  into  the 
wilderness,  bearing  their  sins  away  forever.  It  is  God's 
estimate  of  the  blood,  not  ours,  that  saves  us. 

The  testimony  of  God  is  very  plain.  "He  gave  him- 
self a  ransom  for  all,"  I  Tim.  2:6.".  .  .  suffered 
for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust,"  I  Pet.  3  :  18.  "He 
put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself,  Heb.  9 :  26.' 
Sin  has  been  dealt  with  according  to  God's  own  mind, 
therefore  it  must  be  complete. 

His  own  testimony  is,  "  It  is  finished."  Faith  receives 
the  word  and  enjoys  perfect  peace. 

His  suffering  from  God  as  the  sin-offering  far  over- 
shadows His  suffering  from  man. 

He  was  delivered  into  the  hands  of  the  powers  of 
darkness.     Luke  22  :  53. 

The  horror  of  Gethsemane  was  not  so  much  the  for- 
saking of  the  disciples  as  the  knowledge  of  soon  to  be 
forsaken  of  the  Father.  It  was  this  He  had  to  endure  as 
the  "  Lamb  of  God,"  taking  away  the  sin  of  the  world, 
unutterable  agony  being  in  the  words,  "If  it  be  possi- 
ble," but  the  willing  Servant  and  obedient  Son  immedi- 
ately added,  "  not  my  will  but  Thine  be  done." 

That  blessed  countenance  that  He  had  rejoiced  in 
from  everlasting  was  hid  from  him,  and  sin,  that  odious 
thing,  like  a  poisoned  garment  wrapped  around  Him, 
striking  its  venom  into  His  very  veins,  and  so  He,  the 
Holy  One,  endured  that  that  otherwise  would  have  been 
eternal  hell  to  all  the  rebellious  race  of  man. 


1 6  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

**  If  it  be  possible/'^ but  of  all  things  that  was  most 
impossible.  Here  is  the  extreme  manifestation  of  His 
love,  holding  to  its  purpose  in  that  fearful  agony,  known 
only  to  God  and  Himself. 

The  horrors  of  the  judgment  day  will  not  show  forth 
God's  righteousness  and  hatred  of  sin  as  this  flaming  forth 
of  His  wrath  against  the  Son  of  His  love  on  the  cross. 

Martyrs  of  Jesus  have  had  His  smile  while  dying, 
but  He  endured  the  frown  of  God. 

Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  lovingly  united  in  this  work 
of  redemption  ;   man  had  no  part  in  it. 

Thus  we  have  *' peace  through  His  blood,"  and  the 
veil  being  rent  from  top  to  bottom,  we  can  draw  nigh  as 
•purged  worshipers. 

The  more  implicit  the  faith,  the  more  we  honor  the 
blood  that  has  opened  the  way. 

By  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  God  publicly  attested 
His  acceptance  of  His  finished  sacrificial  work." 

So  this  is  the  gospel,  that  ''  God  was  in  Christ  Jesus, 
reconciling  the  world  unto  Himself." 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  the  gospel  are  identical. 
To  believe  on  Him  is  to  be  saved  by  the  gospel. 

The  Full  Gospel. 

What  has  been  stated  is  at  least  the  rudiments  of  the 
gospel ;  but  to  state  the  full  gospel  it  is  necessary  to 
state  not  only  what  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  done  in 
the  past  in  the  work  of  redemption,  but  also  to  state 
what  He  is  now  doing ;  and  what  He  is  going  to  do  in 
the  future. 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  17 

Much  is  said  in  the  Epistles  about  coming  to  the 
**full  knowledge"  of  Christ.  That  is,  as  to  who  He 
was,  and  is,  and  is  to  be.  What  He  did,  is  doing,  and 
will  yet  do.  For  to  every  Christian,  redemption  and 
salvation  are  related  to  the  past,  present,  and  future 
work  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  As  to  the  past,  His  sacrifice 
for  sin  upon  the  cross.  As  to  the  present,  His  position 
as  High  Priest  interceding  for  us  in  the  presence  of 
God.  As  to  the  future.  His  coming  again  for  His 
church,  and  as  King  of  Israel. 

There  is  much  Scripture  to  show  that  as  all  things 
are  created  for  the  glor}^  of  God,  so  redemption  and  the 
salvation  of  sinners  are  also  primarily  for  His  glory. 

The  "fall"  was  permitted  undoubtedly  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  God  the  opportunity  to  glorify  Himself 
in  the  plan  of  redemption. 

For  His  attributes  of  perfection  are  all  magnified,  as 
well  as  his  love  set  forth  in  such  a  way  as  could  never 
be  shown  in  his  attitude  toward  the  race  merely  of  Cre- 
ator and  Ruler. 

As  soon  as  sin  entered  the  world  God  was  ready  witli 
His  wondrous  plan  of  redemption.  Satan's  work  was 
thwarted,  and  the  seeming  hopeless  disaster  is  turned 
to  good  account. 

For  the  promised  Savior  is  to  become  a  new  "  Adam," 
who  after  becoming  a  sin-ofl:ering  by  His  death,  will  by 
His  resurrection  become  the  new  *'  Head"  of  such  por- 
tion of  the  human  race  as  shall  be  saved  in  and  througI> 
Him.  For  it  is  written  that  *'  the  first  Adam  was  made 
a  living  soul,  the  last  Adam  a  life-giving  spirit." 


1 8  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

The  first  Adam  was  a  "son  of  God  "  only  by  crea- 
tion ;  as  the  angels  are  said  to  be  ;  i.  e. ,  they  are  not 
*' begotten."  "God  created  man  in  His  image,"  etc. 
But  the  Lord  Jesus  as  the  "last  Adam"  was  Son  of 
God,  as  the  only  begotten  son  of  the  Father,  at  the  same 
time  "  son  of  man." 

After  bearing  the  penalty  for  our  sins  upon  the  cross, 
He  was  laid  in  the  tomb,  but  after  three  days  He  was 
raised  from  the  dead  in  a  new  life  ;  it  was  not  a  restora- 
tion of  the  life  He  had  before  His  death.  "  But  God 
raised  Him  from  the  dead  ;  "  "  as  it  is  written.  Thou  art 
my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  Thee."  So  that  as 
"  Head  "  of  the  "  new  creation  "  His  resurrection  day  is 
accounted  by  God  as  His  birthday.  For  He  is  also  said 
to  be  "  the  firstborn  from  among  the  dead,"  "  the  first- 
born among  many  brethren,"  etc.  Showing  that  all 
who  "believe  into  Him"  are  justified  before  God  by 
their  faith  in  Him  ;  so  receiving  pardon  and  cleansing 
from  their  guilt,  they  also  receive  new  life  by  being 
"  born  again  "  of  the  Spirit ;  even  becoming  partakers 
of  the  life  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  /.  r.,  His  resurrection  life. 

So  it  is  seen  that  in  the  plan  of  redemption  God  saves 
sinners,  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,"  to  a  new  life  in 
His  Son;  not  the  old  life  in  the  first  Adam.  Many 
mistakingly  preach  that  this  new  life  in  Christ  is  a 
restoration  of  the  old  Adamic  life  lost  in  Eden,  so  that 
the  outcome  of  salvation  is  merely  the  restoration  of 
sinners  to  the  innocence  and  bliss  of  Adam  before  he 
fell.  Herein  is  a  failure  to  see  the  ti*ue  significance  of 
Christ's  resurrection. 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 

■JIOR0>^COM/JVG   JUDGMENT.  19 

It  is  not  merely  that  Christ  being  raised  from  the 
dead,  so  zve  shall  be.  That  is  true  ;  but  in  rising  from 
the  dead  He  becomes  the  Head  of  the  ''  new  creation  " 
consisting  of  the  entire  company  of  the  saved,  the 
church.  It  is  fully  set  forth  in  the  Epistles  to  the 
Ephesians  and  Colossians,  represented  as  a  *'Body" 
with  the  Lord  Jesus  himself  as  the  "  Head."  In  II  Cor. 
5  :  17  it  is  stated  that  *'if  any  man  be  in  Christ  Jesus, 
there  is  a  new  creation,  old  things  have  passed  away, 
new  things  have  come  into  existence"  (a  better  trans- 
lation). The  "old  things,"  as  the  context  clearly 
shows,  is  the  old  standing  in  the  first  Adam,  and  the 
*'  new  things  "  being  the  *'  new  creation  "  in  Christ. 

Secondly,  what  is  the  Lord  Jesus  now  doing,  or  what 
is  his  present  work? 

As  our  ascended  Lord  He  is  fulfilling  the  office  of  our 
"  High  Priest,"  as  set  forth  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Heb- 
rews. He  is  "appearing  in  the  presence  of  God  for 
us,"  that  is.  He  is  hearing  the  prayers  of,  and  interced- 
ing for  the  saints.  He  has  sent  the  Holy  Spirit  to  abide 
with  the  church  till  He  comes  again.  The  Holy  Spirit 
i"5  also  interceding  for  the  saints  "with  groanings  which 
cannot  be  uttered."  So  we  have,  as  it  were,  a  firm  of 
lawyers  pleading  our  case  before  God ;  the  Lord  Jesus 
having  his  office  in  heaven,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  having 
his  office  on  the  earth. 

What  else  is  the  Lord  Jesus  doing  now  ?  He  is,  for 
one  thing,  patiently  waiting  for  the  time  to  come  ;  the 
appointed  hour ;  when  the  present  order  of  things  is 
fulfilled,  and  He  can  take  his  church  to  Himself.     The 


b 


20  COMING   JUDGMENT, 

church  now  is  exhorted  to  enter  into  the  patience  of 
Christ ;  looking  forward  to  and  earnestly  desiring  that 
union  with  Him  (II  Thess.  3:5,  margin).  The  pres- 
ent is  especially  the  dispensation  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  He 
is  through  the  preaching  of  the  Word,  saving  out  from 
the  world  of  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  a  company  called 
the  church  or  "  Body  "  of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  destined 
to  become  the  '*  Bride"  of  Christ  at  the  consummation 
of  this  age. 

It  is  written,  "  when  Christ  our  life  shall  appear,  then 
shall  we  also  appear  with  Him  in  glory."  So  in  speak- 
ing of  what  the  Lord  Jesus  is  yet  to  do,  /.  e.^  the  future 
of  the  great  work  of  redemption  ;  we  simply  say  that 
He  is  to  come  again  in  like  manner  as  He  went  into 
heaven  at  His  ascension  from  the  Mount  of  Olives. 
Raising  the  dead  or  **  sleeping  "  saints,  together  with 
those  living  at  that  time,  all  are  to  be  '*  caught  up"  to 
meet  Him  in  the  air;  and  so  "to  be  ever  with  the 
Lord." 

The  church  at  the  present  time  is  represented  as  in 
the  attitude  of  a  chaste  espoused  virgin  waiting  for  the 
apppearing  of  her  Lord  ;  when  at  the  **  marriage  of  the 
Lamb  "  he  is  to  become  the  ''  Bridegroom  "  and  she  the 
**  Bride,"  to  reign  jointly  forever  in  the  kingdom  of 
righteousness  which  he  is  to  set  up  at  His  coming. 

So  it  is  seen  that  the  company  of  the  redeemed,  the 
church,  are  saved  to  an  exalted  place  far  above  that 
lost  in  the  first  Adam  ;  even  to  the  unspeakable  glory 
of  being  "partakers  of  the  divine  nature"  and  made 
equal    with    the    Lord    Jesus    himself.     For    although 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  21 

Adam  was  '*  created  in  the  image  of  God,"  yet  he  was 
not  a  partaker  of  the  divine  nature  as  ever}^  sinner  is 
that  is  '*  born  again  "  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  fact  is  that  they  are  thus  finally  raised  above  all 
ranks  of  angels  to  be  equal  with  the  Lord  Jesus,  who 
was  and  is  above  all,  ''  who  was  made  for  a  little  while 
lower  than  the  angels  for  the  suffering  of  death." 

Coming  down  from  the  heights  of  glor}^  and  fellow- 
ship He  had  eternally  enjoyed  in  the  bosom  of  the. 
Father,  He  comes  to  earth  and  takes  on  our  human 
nature  so  that  after  haviiig  worked  out  their  redemption 
He  could  take  fallen,  but  now  regenerated,  sinners  up 
with  Him,  past  all  ranks  of  angels,  and  seat  them  with 
Him  on  his  throne  !  And  all  for  the  sake  of  the  greater 
glory  and  exaltation  of  that  beloved  Son  in  the  eyes  of 
the  unnumbered  myriads  of  the  vast  universe  of  His 
creation  ;  for  it  is  written  (Eph.  2  : 4-7)  *'  But  God  who 
is  rich  in  mercy,  for  His  great  love  wherewith  He  loved 
us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us 
together  with  Christ  (by  grace  ye  are  saved),  and  hath 
raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  the 
heavenlies  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  in  the  ages  to  come  He 
might  show  the  exceeding  riches  of  His  grace,  in  His 
kindness  toward  us  through  Christ  Jesus."  This  is  the 
*'  gospel  "  or  good  news  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  is 
it  not  wondrousl}^  good  that  lost  sinners  should  be  the 
recipients  of  such  favor? 


22  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

The  Corruption. 

In  speaking  of  the  corruption  of  the  gospel  it  is  neces- 
sary to  go  back  to  the  beginning  of  the  race  again ;  for 
from  the  very  start,  the  record  of  false  and  true  wor- 
shipers runs  throughout  the  whole  of  human  history. 

As  has  been  stated  the  Bible  is  a  record  of  the  person 
and  work  of  the  divine  Redeemer,  from  the  first  promise 
given  to  Adam  in  Eden,  till  the  last  victory  of  the  Lion 
of  Judah  in  the  Revelation.  But  along  with  that  record 
goes  also  the  record  of  the  a(?ts  of  the  human  race,  or 
such  portion  of  it  as  bears  upon  the  Redeemer's  person 
and  work. 

Throughout  the  six  thousand  years  of  the  world's  his- 
tory, there  has  not  been  a  generation  wanting  a  company 
of  genuine  '*  believers,"  saved  in  and  by  the  atoning 
sacrifice  of  this  divine  Redeemer.  Also  there  has  not 
been  a  generation  wanting  a  company  of  spurious 
'*  professors,"  corrupters  of  the  truth.  Not  referring  to 
heathen  idolaters,  so-called,  as  the  Greek  and  Roman  ; 
or  the  mystical  *'  religions  "  of  the  Chinese  and  Hindoos  ; 
but  those  professing  to  worship  the  one  true  God,  and 
to  be  followers  of  Jesus  Christ.  For  throughout  all  the 
ages,  Satan  has  produced  his  counterfeits  of  the  true. 
It  is  the  **  way  of  Cain,"  as  it  is  called  in  Jude's  epistle  ; 
and  is  the  same  at  heart,  though  perhaps  showing  out  a 
little  diff'erently  in  different  generations.  It  is,  practi- 
cally, the  denial  of  sin,  and  perdition,  and  the  consequent 
need  of  a  dying  Redeemer.  Let  us  look  at  it  a  little  in 
detail. 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  23 

When  and  just  how  the  promised  Redeemer  was  to 
appear  was  not  told  at  first.  Eve  thought  she  had 
received  the  promised  One  in  her  first-born.  But  she 
was  sadly  mistaken,  for  he  turned  out  a  murderer  ;  thus 
showing  that  fallen  man  can  only  beget  one  in  the  like- 
ness of  himself,  a  sinner. 

From  this  point  there  are  two  lines  running  along  the 
human  race  for  fifteen  hundred  years  or  more.  They 
are  the  Cain  and  Seth  descendants.  The  line  of  Seth 
is  simply  told  in  that  each  one  begat  a  son,  undoubtedly 
believing  in  and  continuing  the  tradition  of  the  coming 
Redeemer,  and  then  *'he  died  "  is  all  that  is  recorded 
of  him. 

On  the  other  hand  Cain  begets  sons  of  whom  it  is  said 
they  were  artificers  and  musicians  ;  but  another  mur- 
derer also  is  recorded  right  away,  although  they  were 
'*  men  of  renown."  From  this  it  would  seem  that  there 
was  a  considerable  degree  of  civilization  ;  indeed  many 
have  thought  that  the  arts  and  sciences  reached  quite 
an  advanced  stage  in  that  antediluvian  age. 

But  toward  the  close  of  the  age  we  read  that  *'God 
saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in  the  earth, 
and  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was 
only  evil  continually."  "  The  earth  was  corrupt  before 
God,  the  earth  was  filled  with  violence.  And  God 
looked  upon  the  earth  and  behold  it  was  corrupt,  for  all 
flesh  had  corrupted  his  way  upon  the  earth."  Gen. 
6:5,  12. 

The  great  majority  were  unbelievers,  filling  the  earth 
with    violence    and    cruelty,    and    growing    worse    and 


24  COMING   yUDGMEMT. 

.worse ;  till  God  could  not  endure  their  wickedness 
longer  and  so  swept  the  whole  race  from  the  face  of  the 
earth,  saving  only  one  famil}^  to  repeople  the  earth. 
Now  what  is  the  generation  of  all  this  evil  thus  far? 

In  the  statement  that  God  clothed  Adarh  and  Eve 
with  skins  shows  that  beasts  were  slain,  undoubtedly  in 
sacrifice,  God  thus  teaching  them  the  sacrificial  nature 
of  the  coming  Redeemer.  Abel  as  a  genuine  ''  believer  " 
slays  a  lamb  and  offers  it  as  a  burnt  sacrifice  upon  an 
altar  ;  thus  admitting  that  he  believed  himself  a  sinner 
worthy  of  death,  and  that  God  would  accept  the  substi- 
tutionary death  of  another,  by  his  own  (that  is,  God's) 
appointment.  Cain,  quite  the  contrar}^  does  not  admit 
himself  to  be  a  sinner  worthy  of  death  ;  but  quite  worthy 
to  come  into  God's  presence  as  a  worshiper  in  his  own 
right  of  personal  rectitude.  His  **  sacrifice,"  if  it  may 
be  so  called,  is  really  a  present  to  Jehovah  of  the  '*  fruit 
of  the  ground"  brought,  as  it  were,  as  a  proof  of  the 
goodness  of  his  heart,  in  that  he  is  willing  to  worship 
God  at  all !  In  some  way  God  manifested  an  acceptance 
of  Abel's  sacrifice  and  himself,  but  a  non-acceptance  of 
Cain  or  his  ''sacrifice."  This  angered  Cain  and  he 
slew  his  brother.  Why  he  should  reason  that  Abel  had 
anything  to  do  with  his  non-acceptance  with  God  it  is 
hard  to  see  ;  but,  of  course,  quite  naturally  he  was  not 
going  t(t  admit  that  the  trouble  was  with  himself.  So 
the  false  worshiper  of  the  true  God  persecutes  the  true 
worshiper.  It  has  ever  been  so,  and  they  have  been 
more  bitter  persecutors  than  the  heathen  idolaters 
have. 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  25 

This  antediluvian  age  is  called  the  dispensation 
without  law. 

The  descendants  of  Noah  repeople  the  earth  rapidly. 
But  it  is  not  long  before  corruption  comes  to  such  a  head 
in  the  matter  of  the  building  of  the  tower  of  Babel,  that 
God  intervenes  with  the  miracle  of  multiplication  of  lan- 
guages, thus  scattering  the  people  abroad  and  founding 
the  different  nations,  ver}^  much  as  they  have  come 
down  to  the  present  day. 

God  at  this  time  takes  one  man  again  (Abraham)  and 
makes  his  descendants  rapidly  increase  into  a  nation, 
and  calls  them  "  his  people,"  "  a  chosen  nation,"  etc. 

Throughout  the  history  of  the  nation  of  Israel  the 
fallen  nature  of  man  is  again  tested  under  different  cir- 
cumstances from  that  previously. 

They  are  not  the  whole  human  race,  but  yet  as  a 
sample,  they  show  what  is  in  the  heart  of  man,  and  what 
the  race  would  do  if  put  in  the  same  circumstances. 

The  circumstances  that  Israel  came  up  under  were 
especially  favorable,  one  would  think.  They  had  a 
miraculous  deliverance  from  their  bondage  in  Egypt, 
and  as  has  been  said,  they  had  God-appointed  leaders, 
a  God-given  law,  and  tabernacle  services,  and  above  all, 
the  manifest  presence  of  God  in  that  tabernacle.  They 
made  protestations  of  perpetual  allegiance  to  Jehovah, 
mutual  covenants  were  entered  into;  with  what  result? 
A  record  of  constant  failure.  One  long-continued  his- 
tory of  "backsliding"  into  shameful  idolatry;  then 
chastened  of  God  and  brought  back,  only  to  fall  away 
again  after  a  little,  and  so  on  till  their  history  closes  with 


26  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

their  final  and  worst  crime  of  rejecting  and  crucifying 
their  Messiah. 

Their  violent  treatment  of  the  Lord  Jesus  himself  had 
proved  true  *his  own  words  that  *'  men  loved  darkness 
rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil,"  and 
that  ''  the  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things  and  desper- 
ately (/.  ^.,  hopelessly)  wicked." 

In  the  words  of  another :  ''  The  doctrine  of  the 
reprobate  character  and  irretrievable  ruin  of  the  *  flesh  ' 
is  as  firmly  established  as  the  doctrine  of  salvation. 
The  fact  that  in  us  *  dwelleth  no  good '  does  not  remain 
now  to  be  tried,  but  is  to  be  accepted  as  finally  proved. 
It  was  proved  at  the  cross  of  Christ,  when  the  curtain 
fell  on  the  delusive  hope  that  there  was  good  in  man. 
The  deliberate  choice,  '  not  this  man  but  Barabbas,- 
settled  the  character  of  our  fallen  nature." 

The  Jews  were  the  professed  worshipers  of  the  true 
God,  yet  they  did  not  know  God.  Claiming  to  be  scru- 
pulous students  of  the  Scriptures,  yet  they  did  not 
recognize  the  Messiah  when  he  came.  They  were 
worshiping  the  true  God,  to  be  sure,  but  not  worship- 
ing ''in  spirit  and  in  truth,"  for  they  were  destitute  of 
both.  They  were  following  *'in  the  wa}^  of  Cain"  and 
ended  as  Cain  did,  by  hating  and  then  murdering  the 
true  Worshiper.  They  did  not  ignore,  but  perverted 
the  truth,  hence  were  a  ''perverse  generation,"  or 
nation.  It  is  recorded  of  Peter's  first  address  after  Pen- 
tecost, that  "  he  exhorted  with  many  like  words  saying, 
save  yourselves  from  this  perverse  generation." 

The  Lord  Jesus  had  said  to  them,  "in  vain  do  they 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  27 

worship  me,  teaching  for  doctrines  the  commandments 
of  men.  .  .  .  Ye  reject  the  commandment  of  God, 
that  ye  may  keep  your  own  tradition." 

A  historian  sa3^s  :  '*  One  of  the  most  prominent  cor- 
rupting influences  was  the  undue  authority  assigned  in 
the  interpretation  of  the  Scripture  to  the  verdict  of  oral 
tradition.  ...  In  this  collection  (the  Talmud) 
a  greater  respect  appears  for  the  letter  than  the  spirit  of 
the  Bible,  and  to  be  learned  in  its  traditional  interpreta- 
tion began  to  be  reckoned  of  greater  account  than  to 
walk  in  the  ways  of  the  fathers." 

The  things  that  happened  to  Israel  are  said  to  be  "  for 
our  example  upon  whom  the  ends  of  the  world  (age) 
are  come." 

Indeed  the  whole  course  of  Israel's  ways  and  hap- 
penings, and  God's  dealings  with  them,  is  an  object 
lesson  of  great  importance  to  us. 

Israel,  as  a  nation,  was  a  company  of  unregenerate 
people.  There  were  exceptions,  of  course.  A  small 
number  in  every  generation,  undoubtedly,  who  were 
truly  regenerated  by  the  Spirit  and  so  true  worshipers. 
The  seven  thousand  at  the  time  of  Elijah  were  a  sample 
of  what  might  be  lound  at  all  times  probably,  even  in 
the  times  of  greatest  declension.  There  were  always  a 
few  men  like  Abraham  and  Moses,  David  and  Daniel, 
and  others  who  were  ''  men  of  God  "  and  faith.  But  that 
does  not  alter  the  fact  that,  as  a  whole,  it  was  a  nation 
of  unregenerate  people.  This  is  of  great  importance 
in  considering  the  lesson  of  God's  dealings  with  them. 

As  has  been  said,  their  history  is  one  of  continuous 


28  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

failure  and  apostacy,  restrained  only  by  fear.  Yet  God 
continued  with  his  merciful  dealings.  Sent  them  proph- 
ets and  leaders  time  and  again.  Pleading  with  them  in 
greatest  tenderness.  Yet  there  was  no  heart  response  in 
unfeeling  Israel. 

After  centuries  of  this  testing  and  proving  the  inability  of 
fallen  human  nature  to  serve  God  by  keeping  the  law,  and 
worshiping  and  obeying  Him  from  the  heart,  we  come 
down  to  Christ's  time  and  hear  Him  saying  to  Nicodemus, 
*'  Marvel  not  that  I  said  unto  you  ye  must  be  born 
again."  The  ''  must  be  "  was  made  evident  by  this  long 
time  of  testing  the  human  race  under  the  most  favorable 
religious  circumstances.  Yet  it  w^as  proved  beyond 
question  that  the  '*  natural  man"  could  not  be  educated 
into  goodness,  or  developed  into  an  upright  moral  being. 
There  must  be  a  ''  new  creation,"  and  a  complete  repu- 
diation of  the  old.  There  are  many  now  who  ''  marvel " 
when  hearing  the  necessity  of  the  '*  new  birth  "  preached, 
and  the  world  is  full  of  teachers  claiming  that  human 
nature  is  not  fallen,  and  is  capable  of  all  good  if  only 
put  in  sufficiently  favorable  ''environments."  This  is 
the  false  gospel  of  Satan,  with  which  he  deceives  men 
and  women  willing  to  be  deceived,  and  by  which  like  a 
false  swamp-light,  he  leads  them  on  to  everlasting  per- 
dition. 

So  ends  another  chapter  in  the  history  of  the  testing 
of  the  race  ;  it  had  under  these  favorable  circumstances 
been  tried  and  failed  ;  been  "weighed  in  the  balances 
and  found  wanting."  Not  that  God  needed  to  have  it 
proved  to   Him  what  the  outcome  would  be.     But  that 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  29 

it  needed  to  be  uncontrovertibly  proved  to  mankind  of 
future  generations,  and,  also,  undoubtedly,  to  the  onlook- 
ing  hosts  of  heaven,  "  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin." 

Israel,  as  a  nation,  is  cut  off  now  from  the  **  olive" 
root  of  dispensational  privilege,  and  we  see  them,  as  a 
nation,  bearing  their  punishment  to  the  present  day. 

God  now  turns  to  the  Gentile  nations  in  grace,  send- 
ing forth  the  gospel  of  His  Son.  How  has  human  nature 
shown  up  under  the  greater  blessings  of  this  Gentile  dis- 
pensation? Has  not  the  history  of  Christendom  from 
the  time  of  Christ  been  one  of  corrupting  of  the  truth, 
accompanied  by  religious  intolerance  and  even  blood- 
shed by  professed  followers  of  Christ?  Scoffing  and 
indifference  to  the  claims  of  God  by  the  cultured  masses 
at  best;  while  greed,  oppression,  dishonesty,  and  lust 
continually  cropping  out,  show  what  is  underneath 
even  the  best  society !  And  among  the  lower  classes, 
whether  in  Christendom  or  Heathendom,  vice,  gross 
lust,  and  cruelty,  as  the  daily  life,  filling  up  the  dark 
picture. 

The  oppressed  condition  of  the  mill  hands  and 
miners,  and  also  the  army  of  unemployed  in  our  land, 
is  very  evident  to  any  one  at  all  awake  to  the  condition 
of  this  country  and  the  world  at  the  present  time. 

No  wonder  there  is  the  ever-increasing  struggle  of 
these  masses  for  freedom  from  these  ills.  But  to  the 
humble  student  and  believer  in  God's  Word,  it  is  also 
pitiable  to  see  the  futile  efforts  of  this  poor  fallen  race 
to  reform  itself.  It  is  not  God's  order  to  reform  the 
world,  it  is  hastening  to  judgment. 


30  COMING   JUDGMENT . 

The  reform  leaders  (''socialists,"  etc.)  seem  to 
leave  out  of  account  the  fact  of  sin  being  the  funda- 
mental evil.  They  speak  of '*  selfishness"  to  be  sure, 
but  as  if  existing  in  the  oppressing  capitalists  only. 
Whereas  the  oppressed  and  oppressors  are  alike  sinners 
before  God,  and  are  equally  under  His  just  condemna- 
tion. It  is  certain  that  the  same  heart  of  evil  exists  in 
both,  so  that  if  the  tables  could  be  turned,  the  poor 
becoming  the  employers  and  the  rich  becoming  in  turn 
the  employed,  there  would  be  enacted  over  again  just 
the  same  greed  and  oppression  that  we  now  see. 

There  is  the  ever-recurring  boast  of  this  (U.  S.) 
being  the  best  form  of  government  in  the  world.  As 
they  say,  "  A  government  of  the  people,  by  the  people, 
and  for  the  people."  But  a  republic  or  democracy 
cannot  succeed  as  a  human  government  because  of 
man's  fallen  sinful  nature.  He  cannot  govern  himself, 
how  can  he  govern  others  I  Under  these  circumstances 
there  must  necessaril}^  be  more  or  less  self-seeking, 
''wire-pulling,"  etc.,  to  gain  self-interest  in  some 
form  or  other.  In  a  word,  among  self-seeking  rulers 
there  cannot  be  a  working  out  of  the  first  principles  of 
good  government,  viz.,  "  the  greatest  good  to  all." 

Where  shall  we  turn  for  a  solution  ?  Where  but  to 
the  source  of  all  truth,  God's  Word?  God  in  starting 
with  the  chosen  nation  of  Israel,  evidently  intended  to 
show  as  an  object  lesson  to  all  the  world,  the  highest 
form  of  government,  viz.,  a  monarchy,  with  God  Him- 
self the  Supreme  Ruler,  really  a  theocracy  (God- 
government).     But  they  soon  threw  off  the  yoke,  and 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  31 

the  theocracy  ceased.  So  God  is  now  letting  the 
nations  try  self-government  in  different  forms. 

In  the  experiment  sometimes  it  gets  ver}^  oppres- 
sive, and  then  some  reformer  arises,  or  new  party  is 
formed,  that  accomplishes  a  little  reform,  and  great 
hopes  are  set  by  the  new  order  of  things  that  now  the 
trouble  will  be  permanently  healed.  But  alas  !  shortly 
the  **  reform"  needs  reforming,  and  the  remedy  seems 
as  far  off  as  ever. 

The  fact  is,  God  is  letting  *'  man"  try  his  way,  and 
do  "his  level  best"  (this  being  "man's  judgment 
day"),  and  when  it  is  full}^  proved  before  the  world 
and  angels  how  fallen  and  how  helplessly  impotent 
man  is  to  save  or  reform  himself,  God  will  step  into  the 
scene  and  inaugurate  a  new  order  of  things.  First  He 
has  declared  that  he  will  judge  the  world  by  that  man 
whom  He  has  appointed,  viz.,  the  God-man,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ. 

He  will  thus  be  manifested  as  the  righteous  King  and 
Judge.  Setting  up  a  righteous  kingdom  wherein  there 
will  be  no  oppression  ;  but  peace  and  happiness  be  the 
rule  instead  of  distress  and  disorder.  Where  justice  will 
exist  in  fact  rather  than  pretense,  /.  c.^  where  all  are 
made  to  do  right  as  well  as  get  their  rights. 

Yet  there  are  those  who  claim  the  world  is  growing 
better  !  It  surely  is  better  off,  with  the  greater  "  light  " 
of  the  present  over  the  past  ages,  and  the  greater  con- 
veniences of  an  advanced  civilization. 

But  this  only  enables  men  to  cover  up  their  wicked- 
ness better.     The  propriety  of  the  present  culture  will 


'f  OF  THE  \ 

f    UNIVERSITY  I 


32  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

not  allow  men  to  sin  so  openly  as  formerly,  thus  hypoc- 
risy is  practised  as  never  before. 

Men  naturally  deny  that  they  are  sinners,  "lost"  or 
"  fallen  "  to  the  degree  the  Scriptures  state.  Quite 
naturally  then  their  religiousness  consists  in  proving 
their  supposed  '*  inherent  goodness." 

Most  cultured,  refined  people  wish  themselves  to  be 
considered  "  Christian  people."  So  multitudes,  through 
a  half-way  confession  of  Christ,  before  some  "  examin- 
ing committee  "  who  have  very  low  ideas  of  what  a 
Christian  really  is,  are  admitted  to  the  membership  of 
the  so-called  *' evangelical  churches,"  and  henceforth 
pass  under  the  name  of  Baptist,  Methodist,  or  Presby- 
terian, etc.,  while  still  really  unregenerate,  and,  of 
course,  know  not  Christ. 

If  it  is  meant  by  the  world  growing  better  that  the 
refined  and  cultured  classes  are  growing  more  philan- 
thropic and  ''religious,"  why,  perhaps,  yes.  But  the 
religiousness  of  fallen  human  nature  is  as  bad  in  God's 
sight  as  an}^  of  its  evil  acts.  In  fact  it  is  the  most  God- 
dishonoring  of  all.     It  denies  his  Word. 

"  Total  depravity  "  is  not  a  Scriptural  phrase,  but  it 
is  a  Scriptural  and  historical  fact.  Sin  is  just  the  same 
incurable  and  desperate  evil  now  in  every  human  being 
that  it  was  in  Adam,  David,  or  Paul.  The  Scriptures 
declare  "  there  is  no  difterence."  But  for  restraining 
circumstances  the  evil  of  every  and  any  human  heart 
would  break  out  into  as  great  wickedness  as  ever  was 
perpetrated  by  man.  Many  rebel  at  this  doctrine  and 
say  *'  it  is  too  leveling." 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  .      33 

It  is  not  the  doctrine  but  the  fact  that  is  leveling.  All 
are  in  like  condition  before  God.  Well  might  an  un- 
saved sinner,  who  thus  sees  himself  indeed  a  sinner,  cry 
out  with  the  jailor  at  Phillippi,  *'  What  must  I  do  to  be 
saved?"  or  with  one,  thousands  of  years  ago,  '*How 
shall  man  be  just  (justified)  with  God?" 

In  considering  this  present  age  of  Gentile  ingrafting 
there  is  much  that  is  parallel  with  the  history  of  Israel. 
For  as  Israel  was  a  chosen  nation  separated  from  the 
other  nations  with  the  evident  intention  of  God  that  they 
should  keep  separated,  so  the  church  is  a  company  of 
saved  sinners  separated  from  the  world,  and  with  the 
evident  intention  of  God  that  they  should  keep  separ- 
ated. But  in  neither  case  has  the  intention  been  car- 
ried out. 

In  the  twenty-second  chapter  of  Deuteronomy,  God  is 
teaching  Israel  His  abhorrence  of  mixture  in  the  laws 
there  given  concerning  the  not  sowing  of  divers  seeds, 
and  not  wearing  garments  of  divers  materials,  etc. 

In  the  twelfth  chapter  of  Exodus,  we  read  that  **  a 
mixed  multitude  came  out  of  Egypt  with  Israel,"  and 
later  on  we  find  that  the  mixed  multitude  led  Israel  to 
sin.  Still  later,  upon  their  entering  the  land  of  Canaan, 
God  commanded  an  utter  extermination  of  the  idola- 
trous tribes,  fully  warning  Israel  of  the  evil  and  harm 
sure  to  come  to  them  if  they  allowed  any  of  these  tribes 
to  remain.  But  Israel  did  not  obey  God  in  this  matter, 
and  many  of  these  idolatrous  people  were  allowed  to 
remain  and  mingle  with  Israel  as  servants.  But  they 
led  Israel  into  idolatry  as  foretold  by  God.  So  the 
3 


34  COMIATG   JUDGMENT. 


church  of  Christ,  instead  of  being  a  company  of  saved 
sinners,  separated  from  the  world,  is  become  a  great 
l)ody  of  a  ''mixed  multitude"  consisting  of  the  three 
great  branches  of  Greek,  Romish,  and  Protestant  sys- 
tems. And  as  it  was  the  "mixed  multitudes"  that 
caused  Israel  to  fall  a-lusting,  and  to  corrupt  the  true 
^vorship  of  Jehovah,  so  has  the  unregenerate  mixture  in 
the  churches  been  foremost  in  causing  the  many  forms 
of  ecclesiastical  impurity  and  practice  which  at  present 
-exist.  ^ 

God's  plans  and  institutions  do  not  need  changing 
and  adjusting,  or  new  and  rearrangements  to  adapt  to 
changing  times  and  customs,  as  men's  plans  do.  God, 
the  Holy  Spirit  who  instituted  and  constituted  the 
church  at  the  beginning,  was  able  in  His  omniscience 
to  see  down  through  all  the  coming  age  to  its  end. 
And  thus  knowing  what  the  church  would  pass  through 
and  its  future  needs,  organized  and  constituted  it  as  He 
saw  would  be  required  to  meet  all  exigencies  of  the 
future. 

God  is  His  own  architect  and  builder,  and  the  house 
when  done  is  His.  He  does  not  need,  nor  can  man 
help  Him  of  himself.  He  graciously  uses  men  in  His 
work,  but  the  plan  and  order  of  development  and  means 
are  of  His  ordering  from  first  to  last. 

The  writer  is  no  "fatalist,"  although  there  is  to  the 
undiscriminating  mind  a  similarity  between  "  fatalism  " 
and  the  Scripture  teaching  of  God's  plan  of  the  ages,  in 
foreordaining  and  election.  Everything  is  not  "cut 
and  dried,"  however,  else  there  would  not  be  the  scores 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  35 

of  exhortation  for  Christians  to  exercise  their  **  free  will'* 
in  doing  or  not  doing  as  the  case  may  be. 

But  it  is  just  this  ;  if  all  the  wisest  men  of  the  church, 
men  of  the  astutest  minds,  men  of  heaviest  '*  mental 
calibre,"  men  venerable  in  experience,  yes,  the  very 
strongest  representation  of  the  world-wide  Christendom 
should,  in  international  council  convened,  decide  that  cer- 
tain measures  (of  their  own  devising)  were  beneficial  for 
the  church  ;  w^ould  that,  let  the  humble  student  of  God's' 
Word  be  asked,  would  that  have  a  feather  weight  of 
value  in  the  opinion  of  God. 

Unfortunately  for  the  church  there  have  been  in 
every  age  leaders  arise  who  have  sought  to  popularize 
the  church.  They  have  reasoned  that  they  must  "keep 
in  touch  with  the  age,"  and  have  felt  it  necessary  to  ap- 
ply the  advanced  ways  and  means  of  modern  civiliza- 
tion to  Christianity. 

It  is  plainly  Satan's  work,  preparing  the  way  for  his 
anti-christ.  Roman  Catholicism  is  but  one  branch  of 
the  evil ;  it  pervades  Protestantism  also.  Through 
sectarianism  he  causes  divisions  and  separations  of 
Christians,  thus  causing  weakness  in  the  general  body. 
Through  "  public  worship  "  he  gets  the  popularizing  of 
the  church,  which  is  far  more  detrimental  than  sectar- 
ianism. And  why  all  this  evil?  Because  of  departing 
from  the  Word  of  God,  and  following  traditions  instead  ! 

Christian  teachers  have  for  centuries  followed  one 
another  instead  of  continually  referring  back  to  the 
Word  of  God.  In  reading  the  sermons  and  writings  of 
the   preachers   of  the   past  generation,   as  for  instance 


36  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

Baxter,  Brainard,  Edwards,  Wesley,  etc.,  we  see  how 
far  they  were  from  teaching  the  Word  purely.  They 
seem  rather  to  have  followed  the  traditions  and  adapta- 
tions of  those  before  them .  This  was  taught  to  theo- 
logical students,  to  again  teach  in  turn,  and  these  ''  tra- 
ditions "  are  thus  handed  down  to  the  present  day. 

Customs  so  venerable  are  held  onto  with  much  preju- 
dice, and  only  with  the  greatest  difficulty  can  anyone 
be  got  to  honestly  and  earnestly  question,  Are  we 
right?  Are  we  acting  and  teaching  according  to  God's 
Word? 

But  the  present  generation  study  the  Bible  far  more 
than  the  past  generation ;  and  there  is  now  said  to  be 
much  knowledge  of  the  Word  as  compared  with  the 
past. 

There  is,  undoubtedly,  more  *' familiarity  with  the 
Scriptures,"  but  that  is  not  the  same  thing  as  knowl- 
edge through  having  *'  spiritual  discernment."  With 
all  the  Sunday-school  teaching  of  the  present  day,  still 
Christians  are  imtaught  concerning  Jesus  Christ,  i.  e., 
as  to  His  person  and  work  ;  they  know  nothing  com- 
paratively as  to  the  simple  facts  concerning  the  plan  of 
redemption  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  The  Scriptures 
are  studied  as  isolated  passages  largely,  without  getting 
the  truth  of  the  general  whole  first,  at  least  in  some 
degree.  -This  is  probably  the  chief  cause  of  the  bulk 
of  the  errors  and  mistakes  that  are  so  generally  held. 

The  Bible  is  not  a  collection  of  separate  books,  but  is 
one  book  in  sixty-six  parts.  It  has  one  author  and  one 
theme,  viz.,  '*  Redemption  by  Jesus  Christ  in  order  to 


COMING  JUDGMENT.  yj 


the  establishment  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  world." 
In  the  development  of  the  work  of  redemption  through 
the  ages  of  the  world's  history,  God  has  worked  through 
different  means  and  channels  at  different  times.  These 
consecutive  ages  are  called  **  dispensations,"  and  it  is 
important  to  clearly  see  dispensational  truth,  or  the 
study  of  the  Word  will  be  confusing  and  will  lead  to 
error. 

Throughout  the  several  Old  Testament  dispensations- 
God  is  preparing  the  world  for  tl^  coming  of  the  Re- 
deemer. In  ''due  time,"  /.  ^.,  the  appointed  prophetic 
time,  He  came,  and  was  made  a  sacrifice  for  sin  by  His 
death  ;  then  He  rose  from  the  dead,  and  after  promising 
to  send  the  Holy  Spirit,  ascended  to  heaven.  He  also 
stated  plainly,  but  indefinitely  as  to  time,  that  He  would 
come  again. 

At  Pentecost,  the  Holy  Spirit  did  come  according  to 
promise,  upon  the  little  company  of  believers,  and  thus 
was  the  church  instituted  and  organized. 

In  a  few  years,  before  their  death,  several  of  the 
apostles  wrote  letters  to  certain  churches,  which  soon 
came  to  be  recognized  as  "inspired,"  and  so  with  the 
gospels  and  Revelation  were  reckoned  in  with  the  Old 
Testament  books,  the  whole  from  that  time  being 
regarded  as  the  Scriptures  or  Word  of  God.  There  is 
a  difference  between  the  teaching  of  the  "gospels" 
and  the  epistles. 

Christ  came  to  Israel  as  their  Messiah  and  His  words 
and  acts  directed  to  them  are  as  one  "  under  the  law  '* 
to  those  under  the  law,  and  so  are  not  applicable  or  in- 


38  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

tended  for  the  church  which  is  not  under  the  law  but 
under  grace. 

The  Lord  Jesus  had  now,  so  to  speak,  turned  the  care 
of  the  church  upon  the  earth  over  to  the  Holy  Spirit. 
So  the  present  age  may  be  spoken  of  as  preeminently 
the  dispensation  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  He  has  inspired 
the  epistles  for  the  express  purpose  of  guiding  the  church 
till  the  Lord  comes  again. 

It  is  very  noticeable  that  so  little,  practically  nothing, 
of  all  the  Lord  Jesus'#  teachings  are  referred  to  in  the 
epistles.  This  certainly  can  hardly  be  accidental  or 
unmeaning. 

Now  the  Protestant  church  holds  that  the  work  of  the 
church  is  primarily  the  conversion  of  the  unsaved.  The 
maintenance  of  *'  public  worship  "  is  supposed  to  be  for 
this  end.  The  Sunday-school  has  the  same  object. 
Even  the  prayer-meetings  of  the  church  are  now  called 
**  gospel  meetings,"  and  are  conducted  mainly  with 
reference  to  persuading  persons  to  **  accept  Christ,"  and 
become  Christians.  Outside  the  church,  the  so-called 
Christian  organizations  claim  to  have  the  same  object, 
as  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  Salvation  Army,  etc. 


40  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

But  reading  closely  the  epistles  with  reference  to 
seeing  what  the  principal  comniands  are,  it  will  be 
found  that  laboring  for  the  conversion  of  the  unsaved  is 
not  the  first  and  foremost  command.  The  most  oft- 
repeated  command  is  *' love  the  brethren,"  repeated 
many  times.  So  that  in  all  the  many  commands  found 
in  the  epistles  there  is  really  nothing  like  a  command 
for  individual  Christians  to  labor  ibr  the  salvation  of  the 
unregenerate  ;  but  rather  to  labor  for  the  salvation  of 
saints. 

Failing  to  see  this,  and  that  the  great  object  of  re- 
demption of  mankind  is  the  glory  of  God  primarily, 
and  not  the  need  of  the  sinner  to  be  saved,  and  so  sup- 
posing that  the  saving  of  sinners  and  by  whatever 
means,  is  the  thing  of  first  importance,  has  led  to  a  mul- 
titude of  expediences  in  the  church  utterly  at  variance 
with  the  teachings  and  commands  of  the  Word  of  God. 

We  read  in  Rev.  4,  ii,  that  all  things  were  created 
by,  and  for  the  pleasure  of,  God  ;  the  inference  is  that 
the  redemption  of  mankind  is  also.  In  Col.  i  we  read 
also  that  all  things  were  created  by  the  Son,  and  by  Him 
all  things  consist,  or  hold  together.  It  is  unto  the  king- 
dom of  *' His  dear  Son"  that  all  things  concerning 
redemption  culminate.  In  Acts  15,  we  read  that  the 
purpose  of  God  in  this  dispensation  is  to  take  out  from 
the  Gentiles  *'  a  people  for  his  name."  Not  to  '*  convert 
the  world"  but  saving  a  number  from  each  generation, 
all  together  at  last  forming  the  "Bride"  that  is  to  be 
presented  to  "  His  dear  Son."  This  is  the  "  election  of 
grace." 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  ^\ 


The  doctrine  of  "  election  "  was  so  unscripturally  held 
by  the  first  generation  that  perhaps  that  as  much  as 
anything  is  the  reason  for  its  being  so  entirely  ignored 
at  present.  They  failed  to  see  the  mercy  of  God  in  it ; 
claiming  that  it  is  partial  and  unjust.  But  the  doctrine 
of  election  stands  or  falls  in  a  Christian's  mind  accord- 
ing to  whether  he  holds  the  doctrine  of  sonship  and 
regeneration  scripturally.  But  there  is  great  misappre- 
hension concerning  sonship  and  regeneration,  and  so  as 
a  natural  consequence  "  election"  is  utterly  misappre- 
hended ;  for  they  are  bound  up  together,  and  so  to  be 
rightly  understood  should  be  seen  together. 

This  blessed  doctrine  of  God's  love  to  lost  sinners  in 
His  Son,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  cannot  be  discerned  by 
carnal  Christians  or  the  uuregenerate ;  to  them  it 
seems  preposterous;  the  "spiritual"  having  spiritual 
discernment  alone  can  understand  and  receive  it.  Just 
as  the  carnal  Christian  cannot  understand  the  difference 
between  '*  flesh  and  spirit"  in  John  3  (the  new  birth), 
or  dispensational  truth,  or  the  scriptural  meaning  of 
"leaven,"  or  the  antichristian  apostacy  of  the  pres- 
ent condition  of  Christendom,  and  the  like  truths.  The 
usual  exclamation  is,  when  the  doctrine  of  election  is 
mentioned:  "Why!  do  you  mean  to  say  that  a  man 
cannot  be  saved  even  if  he  wants  to,  if  he  is  not  one  of 
the  elect?"  It  is  quite  natural  that  they  should  question 
thus,  seeing  they  are  ignorant  of  the  teaching  of  Scrip- 
ture as  to  the  morally  helpless  condition  of  fallen  human 
nature.  Otherwise  they  would  know  that  no  uuregen- 
erate man  wants  to  be  saved,  in  the  true  sense.     They 


42  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

may  say  that  they  want  to  go  to  heaven,  or  escape  hell ; 
but  they  do  n't  want  to  become  holy  ;  sin  does  not  want 
to  give  up  sin. 

Again  they  will  say  :  But  does  n't  it  distinctly  say 
'' Whosoever  will  may  come,"  etc.  ?  Here,  also,  they 
show  their  lack  of  spiritual  discernment  in  not  seeing 
that  this  is  not  an  invitation  to  the  unregenerate  to 
accept  salvation.  And  it  is  noticeable  that  there  are  no 
invitations  in  Scripture  to  the  unregenerate  to  accept 
salvation.  I  know  some  will  say  :  How  about  all  those 
invitations  in  the  Old  Testament,  like  ''  Come  now  let  us 
reason  together,"  in  Isaiah,  and  *'Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  for 
why  will  ye  die,"  "Choose  ye  this  day  whom  ye  will 
serve,"  and  others.  In  all  these  God  is  beseeching 
backsliding  Israel,  as  a  nation,  to  forsake  idolatry  and 
return  to  their  allegiance  to  Him.  These  passages 
should  not  be  used  out  of  their  setting,  for  they  are  not 
invitations  to  the  unregenerate  to  accept  salvation. 
That  passage,  also,  in  Proverbs,  as  generally  used, 
"  He  that  winneth  souls  is  wise,"  is  very  misleading, 
supposing,  as  they  do  by  this,  that  persons  can  be  won 
to  Christ  through  personal  pleading  and  laboring. 

The  meaning  of  the  passage  evidently  is  that  he  that 
wins  friends  to  himself  is  wise.  Well,  some  will  say, 
There  is  the  passage  in  II  Cor.  *'  We  then  as  embassa- 
dors of  God,  beseech  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye 
reconciled  to  God."  But  it  is  to  be  noticed  that  this  is 
a  letter  of  an  apostle  to  a  little  flock  of  Christians,  the 
exhortation  is,  therefore,  addressed  to  Christians. 

As  to  the  passage  in  Revelation,  "whosoever  wjU," 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  43 

etc.,  the  invitation  is  evidently  addressed  to  a  company 
of  saved  persons  in  that  future  age  when  the  church 
has  become  the  *'  Bride  ;"  the  church  now  is  the  chaste 
virgin  espoused  to  Christ,  waiting  for  the  marriage 
day. 

Then  it  may  be  said,  Is  it  not  said  several  times  that 
''whosoever  believeth  hath  everlasting  life?"  Cer- 
tainly, but  this  is  only  a  statement  of  an  existing  fact, 
not  a  contingent  declaration  or  invitation.  Mind,  it 
does  not  say  whosoever  will  believe.  The  fact  is,  the 
willing  in  the  case  is  by  another,  even  God  Himself.  In 
a  word,  the  desperate,  helpless,  hopeless  condition  of 
fallen  human  nature  is  not  recognized  by  the  preachers 
of  the  present  day,  no,  not  even  the  evangelists,  great 
or  small,  for  they  all  work  and  preach  on  the  principle 
that  sinners  can  be  persuaded  to  accept  of  salvation, 
/.  ^.,  that  the  willing  lies  with  them.  This  is  not  like 
the  preaching  of  the  apostles,  for  they  never  preached 
the  gospel  in  the  shape  of  an  invitation.  They  declared 
the  gospel,  i.  e,^  the  person  and  work  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Holy  Spirit  accompanied  this  decla- 
ration as  the  means  of  regeneration.  They  never 
urged  sinners  to  believe,  accept,  receive,  etc. 

In  John  5  :  25,  26,  the  dead  (in  trespasses  and  sins) 
hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  and  live.  The  state- 
ment that  '*the  hour  now  is"  shows  that  this  verse 
refers  to  sinners  now  hearing  and  living,  in  distinction 
from  the  28th  verse,  which  plainly  says  that  the  hour  is 
coming  when  those  in  the  tombs  shall  hear,  etc.,  refer- 
ing    evidently    to    the    resurrection.       The    21st    verse 


44  COMING   JUDGMENT, 

declares  that  the  Son  gives  life  to  whom  He  will,  i,  e.^ 
speaks  sinners  into  life,  spiritually,  just  as  He  physically 
spoke  Lazarus  into  life,  lying  helpless  in  the  tomb. 
So  throughout  the  New  Testament  eternal  life  is  always 
shown  to  be  the  gift  of  God.     Rom.  6  :  23,  etc. 

The  Scripture  really  teaches  that  some  are  '*  pre- 
viously marked  out"  (Roth,  trans,  instead  of  "  pre- 
destined ")  and  gratuitously  given  forgiveness  of  sins 
and  eternal  life  in  the  Son.  Why  He  thus  chooses 
some  instead  of  all,  or  certain  ones  instead  of  others 
He  does  not  choose  to  tell  us.  But  it  is  not  an 
*' unkind  partiality,"  for  if  He  did  not  choose  some, 
none  would  be  saved.  For  He  is  not  under  obligation 
to  any  to  save  them,  and  we  must  remember  we  are 
not  saved  for  our  own  sakes,  but  for  His  glory.  It 
stands  Christians  in  hand  to  be  very  glad  and  humbly 
grateful  that  God  has  thus  shown  His  great  love  toward 
them.  For  they  must  all  admit  Christ's  statement,  **  Ye 
have  not  chosen  me  but  I  have  chosen  you." 

By  way  of  parenthesis  let  it  be  here  stated  that  in  all 
this  writing  the  object  is  to  show  that  Gentile  Christen- 
dom has  not  remained  in  the  *'  goodness  of  God,"  i.  e.^ 
the  present  dispensational  privilege,  any  more  than 
Israel  did  in  the  past,  and  for  which  they  were  '*  cut 
off"  from  the  ''olive  root."  And  that  Christendom 
for  the  same  reason  is  to  be  cut  off.  And  that  the 
foundation  evil  is  a  departure  from  the  Word  of  God, 
in  Christian  doctrine  and  ecclesiastical  practices.  And 
that  the  Greek,  Romish,  and  Protestant  divisions  of  said 
Christendom  are  alike  guilty  of  this  gross  departure. 


COMING   JUDGMENT,  45 

Not  that  the  writer  would  set  himself  up  as  a  judge 
of  his  Christian  brethren,  or  as  a  "reformer"  of  the 
church.  For  we  are  not  expected  to  reform  evils,  but 
to  separate  from  them.  Nevertheless  it  is  our  duty  to 
discern  the  times  and  to  be  awake  to  the  devices  and 
work  of  the  adversary,  and  not  lend  our  aid  by  fellow- 
ship with  it,  but  give  a  warning  cry  as  loud  and  clear 
as  we  are  able. 

In  order  to  still  clearer  see  the  truth  of  the  statement 
that  we  have  grossly  departed  from  the  Word  of  God, 
let  us  look  a  little  more  closely  at  some  of  the 

Errors  and  Misapprehensions 

concerning  even  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  salvation. 
How  many  have  mistaken  ideas  concerning  ''being  a 
Christian,"  as  it  is  called,  or  more  correctly  stated, 
how  they  came  to  be  and  what  they  are  as  Christians  ; 
what  the  church  is,  its  relation,  position,  and  testimony 
in  the  world,  and  its  final  destiny. 

This  is  brought  out  quite  strongly  by  asking  different 
persons,  "  Are  you  a  Christian?" 

Various  will  be  the  answers,  and  they  are  quite 
significant.  Some  will  answer  with  a  supposed  becom- 
ing diffidence,  '*I  hope  so."  Others  will  answer  in  a 
sort  of  business-like  way,  "Certainly,  I 'm  a  member 
of  such  and  such  a  church."  Still  others  again  will 
say  evasively,  "  Well — er — perhaps  not  just  what  you 
might  call  a  Christian,  but  I'm  not  as  bad,"  etc. 

These  answers  tell  a  good  deal  more  than  the  simple 
words  uttered. 


46  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

Take  the  first,  *'I  hope  so."  It  is  generally  uttered 
by  persons  who  are  probably  true  believers,  but  who 
are  uninstructed  as  to  the  fact  that  the  Word  gives  the 
assurance  to  believers  to  know  that  their  sins  are 
forgiven,  and  that  they  are  now  '*  Sons  of  God" 
through  the  new  birth.  They  are  not  taught  that  the 
sacrificial  work  of  Christ  on  the  cross  is  a  finished 
work,  leaving  nothing  for  sinners  to  do  but  to  add  to 
its  merits,  and  that  believing  in  Him  they  have  forgive- 
ness of  sins  and  new  life. 

But  somehow  they  feel  that  this  believing  alone  does 
not  constitute  them  Christians ;  they  reason  that  when 
besides  thus  believing,  they  show  a  consistently  proper 
life,  then  they  can  consistently  say  they  are  Christians. 
They  fail  to  see  that  the  manner  of  life  has  nothing  to 
do  with  constituting  them  Christians.  It  is  entirely  a 
matter  of  being  not  doing.  Just  as  manner  of  life  has 
nothing  to  do  with  a  man's  being  an  Englishman  or  a 
German.  So  with  the  Christian,  it's  a  matter  of  birth, 
the  new  birth  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  A  life  obedient  to 
the  principles  and  commands  of  the  Word  is  required, 
to  be  sure,  but  it  does  not  in  the  least  help  to  constitute 
them  Christians,  or  add  to  their  acceptance  or  justifica- 
tion before  God.  Much  might  be  said  right  here,  and 
emphatically,  concerning  the  untaught  condition  of 
Christians  generalh',  in  spite,  too,  of  all  the  boasted 
study  of  the  Word. 

Then  those  who  answer,  **  I'm  a  member  of  such 
and  such  a  church."  It  is  to  be  feared  that  most  of 
those  giving  such  an  answer  know  nothing  of  the  sav- 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  47 


ing  grace  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  but  are  deceived  into 
thinking  they  are  Christians  when  they  are  not.  They 
have  never  really  seen  themselves  as  sinners,  and 
God's  judicial  satisfaction  for  sin  in  the  death  of  His 
Son.  They  have  sometime,  probably,  been  moved  by 
the  recital  of  some  "  touching  "  incident,  and  the}^  rea- 
son that  they  must  have  a  pretty  good  heart  to  be  thus 
touched  ;  good  enough  at  least  to  be  called  a  Christian, 
and  so  fit  to  ''join  the  church."  They  don't  like  to  be 
pressed  too  closely  with  such  questions  as,  "  Are  you  a 
Christian?  Do  you  know  your  sins  are  forgiven?  Are 
you  sure  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus?"  It  is  enough  for  them 
they  think  to  be  "in  good  and  regular  standing"  of 
some  church. 

This  class  usually  live  fairly  moral  lives,  and  "  at- 
tend church"  quite  regularly,  for  they  depend  upon 
this  for  their  standing  before  God  instead  of  regenera- 
tion through  Jesus  Christ. 

Thus  Satan  deceives  men,  and  enables  them  to  suc- 
cessfully, as  they  think,  compromise  the  matter  and  not 
have  to  humble  tiieir  pride  by  confessing  themselves 
sinners. 

Then  those  giving  a  decidedly  evasive  answer.  They 
hesitate,  and  don't  want  to  say  yes  or  no,  seemingl}^ 
and  why?  The  fact  is  that  in  highly  respectable 
society  it  is  quite  necessary  to  "be  a  Christian "  (at 
least  nominally),  to  be*  "  received."  In  a  word,  w^e 
have  come  to  such  a  pass  that  it  is  no  longer  a  re- 
proach, but  on  the  contrary  an  "accomplishment" 
deemed  necessary  to  round  out  one's  social  character. 


48  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

Many  realizing  this,  wish  to  be  thought  Christians. 
They  try  to  persuade  themselves  that  they  are  not  very 
bad,  not  bad  enough  to  be  styled  "  sinners,"  but  prob- 
ably good  enough  to  be  styled  "  Christians,"  of  course 
utterly  mistaking  what  a  true  Christian  really  is. 

The  cause  of  this  state  of  things  is  not  hard  to  find. 
The  mode  of  preaching,  and  what  is  called  the  '*  gos- 
pel "  given  at  the  present  time  by  most  evangelists,  is 
certain  to  bring  about  just  such  results.  Sin  is  not 
taken  account  of,  its  sinfulness  shown,  its  consequences 
stated,  nor  on  the  other  hand  is  Christ  set  forth  as  God's 
judicial  satisfaction  for  sin ;  nor  the  repentant  believing 
sinners  perfect  acceptance  by  God  in  Christ.  But  in- 
stead young  men  and  women  are  urged  to  **  take  a 
stand  for  Christ,"  to  '*give  their  heart  to  God,"  to  '*  take 
the  first  step  in  the  Christian  life,"  etc. 

The  writer  has  heard  a  preacher  of  some  note  ad- 
dressing a  crowded  church  full  of  young  people  (the 
meeting  was  styled  a  gospel  address  to  the  young), 
urge  upon  them  this  reason  among  others  why  they 
should  become  Christians,  viz.,  "  because  it  is  fashion- 
able." Is  it  any  wonder  the  results  are  just  what  they 
are  ? 

And  what  shall  be  said  of  the  unscriptural  practice  of 
*' singing  the  gospel  "that  has  become  so  popular  of 
late  years?  Of  course  it  is  based  on  the  supposition 
that  men  and  women  must  be  "moved"  to  become 
Christians  by  some  exercise  of  their  own.  So  floods  of 
**  gospel  hymns"  have  come  into  existence.  Many  are 
hymns  of  '*  invitation,"  and  many  are  pathetic  hymns 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  49 

to  *'  touch  the  sensibilities."  All  of  which  "  moving  " 
and  emotional  work  is  worse  than  useless,  for  it  is  more 
likely  than  not  to  make  deceptive  **  conversions " 
merely. 

It  can  be  classed  among  the  *'  carnal  weapons  "  along 
with  sensational  preaching,  etc. 

In  fact  how  many  of  the  hymns  of  all  kinds  used  by 
the  church  are  misleading  and  deceptive  in  their  teach- 
ing through  being  partial,  or  even  actually  incorrect, 
statements  of  truth. 

There  is  much  preached  that  is  called  the  "  gospel  " 
that  is  not  the  gospel.  And  there  are  all  degrees  of 
divergence  from  the  true  gospel.  But  one  thing  is 
common  to  them  all.  The  *'lost"  condition  of  fallen 
humanity  is  not  recognized  to  the  full  degree  as  set 
forth  in  the  Scriptures.  No  broken  law,  no  offended 
justice,  therefore  no  punishment  due. 

Sinners  are  spoken  of  as  having  a  "better  nature" 
that  can  be  appealed  to,  and  so  they  are  urged  to  ''  as- 
sert their  manhood,"  etc.  This  being  the  case,  they 
consistently  teach  that  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  intro- 
duce him  into  new  and  good  *' environments  "  and  he 
will,  if  not  all  at  once,  gradually  learn  to  do  right  I 
And  that  means  "  salvation  "  to  many  so-called  Chris- 
tian teachers  at  the  present  time. 

Men  and  women  are  recognized  as  being  in  distress 
of  different  kinds.  Oppression  of  man  against  man  is 
seen,  but  no  recognition  of  offence  against  the  Ci:eator 
and  Ruler  of  the  Universe.  '*  Salvation"  with  them 
means  only  relief  from  the  present  trouble,  distress,  or 

4 


50  COMING   yUDGMESTT. 

poverty.  If  the  oppression  of  man  to  man  could  cease, 
they  seem  to  think  this  world  would  be  a  heaven  ! 

But  besides  those  who  preach  such  an  utterly  false 
*'  gospel  "  it  is  safe  to  say  that  even  most  of  those  who 
preach  the  true  gospel  yet  preach  it  very  superficially. 
With  most  of  them  also  salvation  from  trouble,  and  a 
life  of  degradation,  not  condemnation  before  God  and 
eternal  punishment,  seem  to  be  the  main  idea.  They 
are  running  more  and  more  into  the  "  rescue  mission  " 
style  of  preaching,  if  it  may  be  called  preaching,  the 
gospel.  People  are  not  under  condemnation,  but 
'*  poor  dears"  in  suffering  and  need  help. 

Of  course  there  is  much  suffering  in  the  world,  and  it 
needs  relieving  as  much  as  possible  ;  but  it  should  be 
recognized  as  all  the  result  of  sin.  God  is  curing  the 
great  evil  of  sin  through  the  atoning  sacrifice  of  His 
Son,  and  so  the  consequent  suffering  in  this  world  will 
eventually  disappear,  /.  ^.,  after  judgment,  in  His 
righteous  kingdom. 

Many  evangelists  make  no  statement  of  sin  whatever. 
When  asked  why  they  do  not  they  answer, ''  Oh,  every- 
one knows  he  is  a  sinner,  it's  a  waste  of  time  telling 
him  of  it."  It  should  rather  be  recognized  that  men 
do  not  know  that  they  are  sinners.  The  *'  natural  man" 
does  not  perceive  or  willingly  receive  it.  As  some  one 
has  truly  said,  **  No  one  sees  himself  as  a  sinner  in 
the  Scriptural  sense,  only  as  he  is  shown  it  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  through  the  preaching  of  the  Word." 

Preachers  do  not  state  the  depth  to  which  man  is 
fallen  on  the  one  side,  nor  the  height  to  which  he  is 


COMING   JUDGMEIVT. 


raised  in  Christ  Jesus  on  the  other.  There  is  a  slack- 
ness in  stud3nng  the  Word  on  the  subject.  There  is 
too  much  reading  what  other  men  say  about  it,  rather 
than  a  close  attention  to  what  God  the  Spirit  has  written 
concerning  it.  The  electric  haste  of  the  times  doesn't 
allow  of  a  slow  and  patient  attention  in  the  matter. 
Much,  also,  is  taken  for  granted  where  nothing 
should  be. 

A  superficial  recognition  of  the  lost  estate  of  man  is 
invariably  accompanied  by  a  correspondingly  superficial 
recognition  of  redemption  and  salvation.  As  sin  is 
belittled,  so  the  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is 
belittled. 

Meanwhile,  the  lie  of  Satan  that  men  are  not  sinners 
to  the  degree  that  the  Word  of  God  declares  them  to  be, 
is  like  a  "  leaven"  permeating  almost  all  teaching  and 
preaching  of  the  present  time.  It  is  met  with  in  ser- 
mons, in  Sunday-school  lesson  notes,  in  so-called 
**  Christian  fiction,"  etc.,  etc.  For  Satan  uses  every 
agency  he  can,  and  every  one  he  can  blind  sufficiently, 
yet  making  all  *'  appear  as  ministers  of  righteousness." 
Christ  is  held  up  as  '*  Teacher  "  and  "  Friend,"  yes  and 
even  as  *' Saviour,"  saving  from  sin;  but  it  is  not  as 
taught  in  either  case  in  the  Word. 

The  statement  that  we  are  not  sinners  and  do  not  need 
a  dying  Saviour,  as  put  forth  by  the  Unitarians,  is 
found  to  be  too  blank  and  bold  by  the  adversary.  He 
finds  that  he  must  be  more  subtle ;  so  he  enters  the 
''Evangelical"  pulpit  and  press,  and  admits  both 
truths,  but  only  in  a  partial  degree.     But  it  is  far  more 


52  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

deceptive  and  just  as  destructive.  He  finds  that  the 
truth  is  harmless  if  administered  with  a  little  leaven  of 
falsity.  For  the  truth  does  not  act  like  leaven,  while 
false  doctrine  does.  Thus  are  the  leaders  and  teachers 
of  Christendom  repeating  Israel's  sin,  in  following 
*'  traditions  of  men  "  rather  than  the  Word  of  God,  and 
on  account  of  which  the  judgment  of  *'  cutting  off"  of 
Gentile  "  Christendom"  will  surely  come. 

As  there  is  a  misapprehension  of  what  the  gospel 
really  is,  so  there  is  a  misapprehension  of  the  Scripture 
methods  of  presenting  it.  The  gospel,  as  has  been 
shown,  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  His  person  and 
work ;  therefore,  the  presentation  of  the  gospel  is  the 
presentation  of  Him. 

We  have  for  examples  the  addresses,  recorded  in  the 
first  chapters  of  Acts,  by  Peter,  Paul,  and  John,  deliv- 
ered at  Pentecost  and  shortly  after. 

In  Peter's  first  address,  upon  the  presentation  of  the 
person  and  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  Holy  Spirit 
uses  the  Word  like  a  *' sharp  two-edged  sword"  and 
pierces^ the  deadened  consciences,  causing  them  to  cry 
out  *'Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do?"  Then  it 
was  said  to  them  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

There  was  no  presentation  of  the  gospel  as  an  invita- 
tion, as  at  present  is  so  generally  done.  There  is  no 
precedent  or  warrant  for  it  in  the  Word. 

The  invitations  in  the  Old  Testament,  as  has  been 
said,  are  not  invitations  to  individual  salvation,  but  to 
Israel  as  a  nation  to  forsake  their  idolatry  and  renew 
their  allegiance  to  Jehovah  according  to  the  provisional 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  53 

covenant  they  had  agreed  to.  These  invitations,  there- 
fore, are  not  applicable  in  preaching  the  gospel. 

The  invitations  in  the  New  Testament  are  likewise 
misunderstood  and  misapplied.  That  very  familiar  one, 
''  Come  unto  Me  all  ye  that  labor,"  etc.,  is  not  an  invita- 
tion to  salvation,  but  for  restful  service. 

The  Scriptures  plainly  teach  that  faith  cometh  by 
hearing  the  gospel  preached  ;  but  it  as  plainly  states 
that  faith  ''is  the  gift  of  God"  as  well  as  eternal  life. 
The  fact  is,  ''dead"  sinners  are  freely  given  life  by 
the  Holv  Spirit  through  the  agency  of  the  preached 
Word. 

Lazarus  lying  dead  in  the  tomb  was  not  offered  life, 
if  he  would  come  forth  and  accept  it.  No.  He  could 
not.  He  was  graciously  spoken  into  life.  So  is  the 
mercy  of  God  exhibited  toward  dead  sinners. 

Another  misapprehension  is  supposing  that  the  Scrip- 
tures represent  sin  as  a  disease  like  leprosy,  palsy,  or 
blindness,  and  so  sinners  are  urged  to  "  come  to  Jesus 
and  be  healed."  That  is  a  theory  only,  out  of  some 
one's  brain,  but  there  is  no  warrant  for  it  in  the  Word. 

Again,  there  is  misapprehension  as  to  who  is  to  preach 
the  gospel. 

Immediately  after  the  stoning  of  Stephen,  the  disci- 
ples were  scattered  abroad,  and  all  seemingly  preached 
the  Word. 

But  this  seems  to  be  a  part  of  the  special  effect  of  that 
recent  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  on  the  newly-organized 
church,  along  with  having  "  all  things  common,"  and 
both  of  which   are  probably  samples  of  conditions  yet 


54  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

to  be  realized  under  a  greater  Pentecost  yet  to  come. 
It  would  seem  that  they  were  not  expected  to  continue. 

We  do  not  find  the  Apostles  in  any  of  their  writings 
urging  upon  all  Christians  the  necessity  of  their  preach- 
ing the  gospel  or  laboring  for  the  salvation  of  the 
unsaved.  There  are  a  great  number  of  commands  but 
this  is  not  one  of  them. 

There  seems  to  be  a  different  order  of  teachings  in 
the  gospels  from  that  in  the  epistles.  In  fact  the  disci- 
ples themselves  seem  to  be  on  a  different  standing  before 
and  after  Pentecost.  During  the  life  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
they  are  addressed  by  Him  evidentl}^  as  Jewish  believers, 
and  are  probably  related  to  that  Jewish  **  restoration  " 
that  is  hinted  at  as  yet  to  come,  as,  for  instance,  their 
sitting  on  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of 
Israel,  etc.  But  after  Pentecost  they  appear  as  simply 
Christian  apostles,  and  the  Holy  Spirit's  teaching 
through  them  in  the  epistles  is  of  an  evidently  dif- 
ferent order.  So  we  find  no  command  throughout 
the  Acts  or  epistles  equivalent  to  Christ's  command  to 
the  '*  eleven,"  **  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature."  Of  all  the  commands  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  the  only  one  that  is  repeated  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  the  epistles  is  what  He  calls  His  *'  new  com- 
mandment," viz.,  that  they  *' love  one  another,"  and 
this  is  repeated  or  implied  upward  of  forty  times  in  the 
epistles. 

Taking  the  consensus  of  all  the  commands  in  the 
epistles,  the  main  idea  plainly  is  that  Christians  are  to 
labor  for  the  salvation  of  other  Christians. 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  55 

Not  that  they  are  *'lost"  as  the  unsaved  are;  but 
when  one  believes  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  for  forgive- 
ness of  his  sins  and  acceptance  with  God,  salvation  is 
only  begun.  Salvation  is,  or  should  be,  a  continuous 
thing.  Indeed,  the  Scriptures  speak  of  salvation  as  a 
future  thing.  Christians,  therefore,  need  "saving  "in 
many  ways  in  this  life.  This  is  the  **  ministry  to  the 
saints  "  so  earnestly  urged  upon  Christians  throughout 
the  epistles. 

Not  only  has  there  been  thus  a  departure  from  the 
teaching  of  the  Word  in  regard  to  doctrine  and  mode  of 
preaching  the  gospel,  but  also  in  regard  to 

Conduct  of  the  Churches. 

As  has  been  said  the  Acts  and  the  epistles  are  pre- 
eminently the  guide  of  the  church  throughout  this  dis- 
pensation of  the  Holy  Spirit.  In  them  we  find  how  the 
church  was  instituted,  and  what  the  evident  intent  of 
God  was  in  the  conduct  of  the  church  through  the 
whole  coming  age. 

There  is  not  the  slightest  hint  that  there  would  ever 
be  any  need  for,  nor  is  there  any  authority  given  for 
adapting  to  various  times  and  customs.  Not  a  thought 
of  "  keeping  in  touch  with  the  age,"  but  that  the  church 
should  keep  separate  from  the  world,  both  as  to  its  indi- 
vidual beliefs  and  also  in  its  corporate  capacity  as  as- 
semblies. '*  Forsake  not  the  assembling  of  yourselves 
together,"  without  a  hint  that  they  were  to  invite  the 
world  to  "worship"  with  them.  "  Public  worship  " 
has  completely  subverted  this  law  of  separation.     This 


56  COMING  JUDGMENT. 

public  worship  of  a  **  mixed  multitude  "  has  no  little  to 
do  with  causing  the  mixed  multitude  of  regenerate  and 
unregenerate  that  confessedly  exist  in  the  churches  at 
present,  under  the  name  of  "  church  members." 

As  a  natural  and  necessary  result  of  "public  wor- 
ship," there  follows  a  string  of  concomitants,  as  a 
public  house  of  worship,  a  scholarly  ministry,  beautiful 
decorations,  delightful  music,  etc.,  requiring  mints  of 
money  to  be  raised,  and  even  the  world  is  asked  to 
give  toward  paying  for  them  ! 

Contrary  to  this  the  evident  intent  of  the  Spirit  was 
that  the  church  should  always  meet  by  themselves,  yet 
welcoming  any  of  the  unsaved  who  might  incidentally 
come  in.  It  seems  to  have  been  expected  that  it  should 
always  be  '*  a  little  flock"  in  the  midst  of  the  world's 
multitudes.  Despised  rather  than  popular.  A  suffering 
church.  Yet  a  standing  miracle,  as  it  were,  in  show- 
ing forth  a  supernatural  union,  and  an  intense  love  or 
care  for  one  another,  thus  showing  forth  its  allegiance 
to  God  in  its  obedience  to  His  Word,  rather  than  inge- 
nuity in  making  ecclesiastical  inventions. 

But  it  has  repeated  Israel'.s  sin  in  these  matters  also, 
with  disastrous  results. 

The  '*  blindness"  that  happened  to  Israel  is  also 
manifest  now  throughout  Christendom,  till  it  can  be 
said  of  the  present  leaders  and  teachers  also,  that  they, 
too,  are  **  blind  leaders  of  the  blind."  There  is  little  if 
any  accurate  knowledge  of  the  way  of  salvation.  The 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  not  plainly  set  forth.  Sermons  are 
upon  almost  every  topic  but  Him. 


J  OF  THE     ^ 

V  OF 

^*'*«4^£l^--'-       COMING   JUDGMENT.  57 

The  Sunday-school  also  is  an  unwarranted  invention 
of  man.  There  is  the  supposition  that  it  is  a  means  of 
conversion,  and  indeed  that  is  the  avowed  object  of  its 
existence.  It  has  given,  it  is  admitted,  a  considerable 
familiarity  with  the  text  of  Scripture.  But  when  that  is 
obtained  without  spiritual  discernment,  as  for  instance 
with  the  unregenerate,  it  is  worse  than  nothing  for  the 
individual. 

Christians  should  be  happy  in  the  Lord.  But  are 
they?  Those  that  know  not  their  free  acceptance  and 
blessing  in  Christ  cannot  be.  No  one  can  rejoice  in 
blessings  that  they  are  not  conscious  of  possessing. 

Other  Christians  though  possibly  happy  at  heart,  do 
not  exhibit  it.  They  have  care-worn,  anxious  faces 
through  an  excessive  desire  for  hair-splitting  correct- 
ness in  ecclesiastical  practices  to  the  exclusion  of  love. 
This  is  the  other  extreme  of  a  few,  whereas  the  great 
majority  represent  the  opposite  extreme.  It  is  evidently 
the  Adversary's  work  to  spoil  thus  the  testimony  of 
Christians'  lives.  We  must  follow  closely  the  Word  in 
its  teaching  in  all  things  in  order  to  have  a  wholesome, 
honest,  lively  testimony  before  the  world.  Not  in  the 
energy  of  the  *'  flesh,"  but  in  the  power  of  resurrection 
life  in  Christ,  so  that  it  will  be  true  of  us  also,  that  it 
is  *'  the  love  of  Christ  constraining  us."  "  Not  I  but 
Christ  that  liveth  in  me,"  as  Paul  testifies. 

Another  thing  is  the  undue  prominence  given  the 
young.  This  is  bound  up  with  the  failure  to  train  and 
teach  the  young  at  home  according  to  the  teaching  of 
the  Word. 


58  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

Not  much  is  said  concerning  the  young  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. One  of  the  ten  commandments,  *'  Honor  thy 
father  and  thy  mother,"  etc.,  is  repeated  and  com- 
mented on  by  Paul  in  Eph.  6:1-3.  The  fourth  verse 
contains  instructions  to  fathers,  viz.,  to  chasten  and  in- 
struct but  not  to  irritate  their  children.  These  same 
commands  are  practically  repeated  in  Col.  4  :  20,  21, 
with  this  change,  nothing  is  said  about  instruction,  etc., 
but  they  are  not  to  **  provoke  "  them  *'  lest  they  be  dis- 
couraged." 

It  has  come  to  be  so  noticeable  as  to  be  frequently 
commented  on  that  decided  family  discipline  is  very 
rare.  What  little  there  is  that  might  be  called  discipline 
is  generally  of  a  thoughtless,  impulsive  nature,  and 
that  only  to  the  very  little  ones  who  irritate  the  parent 
by  their  constant  little  misdemeanors.  The  very  word 
**  punishment"  is  losing  its  legitimate  meaning.  When 
they  get  to  be  twelve  years  old  or  so  they  practically 
are  their  own  masters. 

It  was  a  good  thing  that  in  our  grandfather's  time 
the  young  were  taught  to  '*  be  silent  in  the  presence  of 
their  elders,"  to  take  off  their  cap  on  passing  them  on 
the  village  street,  and  to  always  speak  with  certain  re- 
spectful formulas.  But  now  they  mostly  do  '*just  as 
they're  a-mind  to." 

In  trying  to  impress  upon  an  intelligent  but  unruly 
boy  of  ten  the  necessity  of  obeying  his  father  and 
mother,  he  suddenly  looked  up  with  nervous  intensity 
and  asked:  ''Why!  can't  grown-up  folks  do  just  as 
they're    a-mind    to?"     O    parents,    you    are    providing 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  59 

material  for  the  jails  and  penitentiaries ;  worse,  you  are 
bring  up  your  children  to  make  Unitarians.  The  great 
Law-giver  evidently  intended  that  respect  for  family 
law  should  tend  to  make  respect  for  civil  law,  and  that 
in  turn  to  lead  to  respect  for  the  higher  law  of  God. 

As  to  the  position  of  young  people  in  the  gatherings 
of  Christians  about  the  only  teaching  we  find  in  the 
epistles  on  the  subject  is  in  I  Pet.  5:5,  *' Let  the 
younger  be  subject  to  the  elder,"  though  this  is  prob- 
ably a  general  statement  referring  to  both  family  and 
church.  But  the  unscriptural  position  in  the  churches 
now  is  in  keeping  with  the  general  tenor  of  the  age,  as  in 
other  things, whereas  the  Scripture  command  stands,  '*Be 
not  conformed  to  this  present  world  "(age).  The  form- 
ing of  young  people  into  societies  by  themselves  is  has- 
tening the  general  world-conformity  of  the  whole  mass. 

It  began  back  with  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  from  a  failure  to 
see  the  intent  of  the  Spirit  in  regard  to  the  conduct  of 
the  church  in  the  world.  If  they  had  they  would  see 
that  the  making  of  separate  societies  of  different  classes 
of  Christians  is,  and  can  be,  only  detrimental  to  the 
keeping  of  the  '*  bond  of  unity  "  in  the  church. 

This  binding  together  of  Christians  is  of  utmost  im- 
portance in  the  mind  of  the  Spirit;  Col.  2  :  2,  etc., 
**  being  knit  together  in  love,"  and  therefore  whatever 
tends  to  break  it  up  is  exceedingly  hurtful.  It  seems 
to  be  one  of  the  main  efforts  of  the  Adversary's  work  to 
separate  Christians.  Thus  separating  classes  of  Chris- 
tians is  part  of  it ;  also  the  rich  having  their  churches 
and  the  poor  having  theirs. 


6o  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

In  many  places  now  the  young  people '' run  "the 
churches.  The  writer  was  in  a  week-night  meeting 
recently,  which,  by  the  way,  was  being  led  by  a  young 
lady  contrary  to  the  teaching  of  the  Word.  At  the 
close  of  the  meeting,  on  asking  why  there  were  so  few 
middle  aged  and  elderly  people  present  he  was  answered  : 
**We  give  them  a  cordial  invitation,  but  they  don't 
seem  inclined  to  come." 

The  elder  thus  allow  the  younger  to  usurp  authority  ! 

The  young  people  having  such  a  **  good  time"  in  the 
church  are  thereby  enticing  others  in,  who  join  easily 
by  a  slight  or  false  profession  of  faith  in  Christ. 

For  to  '*  become  a  Christian,"  as  it  is  called  in  these 
days,  there  is  no  denying  the  world,  but  receiving  its  "pat 
on  the  back"  and  its  commendation  "That's  right." 

And  as  to  the  "  endeavors"  of  the  young  in  so-called 
Christian  work  ;  of  course  it  is  an  utter  misconception 
of  the  duties  and  privileges  of  the  true  Christian  as  set 
forth  in  the  epistles. 

Christians  also  in  conducting  their  assemblies  ques- 
tion, "What  are  others  doing?"  instead  of,  What  does 
the  Word  of  God  teach? 

That  makes  them  "carnal"  Christians  and  conse- 
quently without  discernment.  They  seek  to  introduce 
"institutional  work"  because  other  churches  do,  and 
are  apparently  successful.  So  Christians  are  occupied 
with  the  work  in  their  particular  church  or  denomina- 
tion instead  of  being  occupied  with  the  Lord  Jesus  and 
His  work  concerning  the  church  (His  body)  as  a  whole 
now  and  in  the  future. 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  6i 

Also  they  are  more  occupied  with  their  work  than 
their  individual  walk  in  relation  to  the  Lord  Jesus  and 
His  Word.  Yet  in  the  epistles  much  more  is  said  con- 
cerning walk  than  work.  Such  Christians  are  ever 
occupied  with  the  ''  ways  and  means,"  and  never  come 
to  the  full  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Like  Philip, 
to  whom  the  Lord  said,  ''Have  I  been  so  long  time 
with  you  and  yet  thou  has  not  known  Me?"  Ever 
learning,  yet  never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  truth. 

If  they  have  a  faithful  teacher  they  pronounce  him 
"  unpractical,  teaching  too  deep  theological  matters, 
preaching  over  their  heads,"  etc.  In  fact  Christians 
seem  more  interested  in  what  some  great  preacher  or 
eminent  professor  thinks  than  what  the  Word  of  God 
says. 

How  many  there  are  who  cannot  bear  to  hear  their 
pet  preacher  criticised.  "  Oh,  don't  say  a  word  against 
Professor  So-and-So.  I  think  his  sermons  or  writings 
are  just  splendid.  I  won't  listen  to  anything  against 
him." 

When  the  allegiance  is  thus  given  to  this  or  that 
Reverend,  to  some  Professor  D.  or  E.,  to  "  my  pastor," 
or  some  favorite  religious  author,  there  cannot  be  the 
single  eye,  the  simple  heart  allegiance,  and  above  all, 
which  is  so  necessary,  the  spiritual  discernment  to  per- 
ceive and  receive,  and  rejoice  in  the  full  knowledge  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

It  seems  thus  that  God  is  being  slowly  thrust  out  from 
His  own  temple  ("  which  temple  ye  are  ")  and  the  "  man 


62  COMIIVG  JUDGMENT. 

of  sin,"  /.  ^.,  fallen  man  himself,  gradually  taking  his 
place.  Man  is  recognized  in  everything  more  and 
more.  Even  in  redemption  and  salvation  man's  side  of 
the  matter  is  only  recognized  to  the  entire  neglect  of  the 
Godward  aspect  of  it.  And  the  work,  too,  has  to  be  done 
in  man's  approved  way,  instead  of  God's  appointed  way. 

It  seems  thus  as  if  antichrist  was  about  to  be  revealed, 
for  he  comes  before  Christ. 

It  will  be  Satan's  last  and  greatest  effort  to  deceive 
the  world.  For  we  are  taught  in  i  Thess.  that  the 
**  lawless  one"  comes  w^ith  all  deceitfulness  and  lying 
wonders  (miracles).  So  it  seems  that  Satan  will  put 
forth  his  antichrist  as  a  sort  of  ante-substitute  in  place 
of  Christ,  as  the  '*  coming  man"  who  will  propose  to 
swing  the  nations  of  the  world,  who  will  willingly  yield 
to  his  sway,  into  a  kind  of  happy  state  of  political  and 
social  perfection.  ^ 

The  world  is  preparing  for  it,  and  Christendom  is 
blindly  helping  it  on. 

Satan  is  trying  to  forestall  much  of  the  Lord's 
redemptive  work  in  the  coming  age. 

For  instance,  the  great  advance  in  science  and  dis- 
covery of  the  past  fifty  years,  seems  like  the  extra 
energy  put  forth  by  him  at  the  close  of  this  age.  This 
high  state  of  civilization  is  considered  by  many  as  the 
**  kingdom  come."  It  is  probably  Satan's  substitute  for 
the  millenium  of  Christ's  reign. 

Men,  it  would  seem,  have  snatched  beforehand,  some- 
what, **  the  powers  of  the  age  to  come."  But  it  is  not  for 
their  good.     Fallen  man  entrusted  with  these  superior 


COMING   JUDGMENT. 


powers,  uses  them  selfishly,  and  not  helpfully.  Satan, 
nevertheless,  persuades  men  that  it  is  a  **  wonderful 
advance,"  a  "  golden  age"  is  just  to  dawn. 

But  it  stands  the  Lord's  people  in  hand  not  to  be 
deceived,  but  *' wait  for  His  Son  from  heaven."  For 
the  hope  of  the  church  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Himself,  who 
will  as  the  true  "Coming  One"  suddenly  return  to 
earth,  and  consume  the  ''  lawless  one  "  **  with  the  bright- 
ness of  His  forthshining." 

Then  set  up  His  righteous  kingdom, — a  redeemed 
people  on  a  redeemed  earth,  where  holy  people  can  use 
these  wonderful  powers  and  more,  too,  not  for  selfish 
purposes  but  helpfully  and  for  the  glory  of  God. 

Although  God  is  tolerating  this  wickedness  in  the 
world  now,  it  is  no  sign  of  His  complacency  or  approval. 
What  has  gone  forth  from  His  mouth,  He  will  bring  to 
pass.  His  promises  and  threats  can  alike  be  relied  upon. 
He  will  judge  the  world  "  by  that  Man  whom  He  hath 
appointed,"  even  the  God-Man,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

It  is  written  ''things  highly  esteemed  among  men, 
are  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God."  The  precepts 
and  principles  of  the  reforms  of  this  world  are  highly 
esteemed  by  the  men  of  this  age,  and  are  believed  to 
be  able  to  bring  about  all  good  eventually  when  fully 
worked  out.  Not  so  is  God's  estimation  of  them.  He 
has  said  definitely  "  this  world  (age)  will  be  destroyed 
and  the  works  that  are  therein  will  be  burned  up." 
There  are  scoffers  concerning  these  things  just  as  the 
Holy  Spirit  testified  there  would  be.  But  with  a  world 
at  ease,  and  world  and  church  alike  seemingly  saying, 


64  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

**  Where  is  the  promise  of  His  coming  ?"  and  **  Where 
is  the  God  of  judgment?"  is  it  not  high  time  that  the 
church  arouse  from  slumber  and  phiinly  speak  forth  its 
warning? 

Not  only  from  the  lips  of  the  preacher,  but  by  the 
obedience  of  Christians  as  individuals  and  also  in  the 
Scriptural  conduct  of  their  assemblies. 

We  are  nearing  undoubtedly  the  close  of  the  age, 
and  the ''trying  times  "have  *' set  in  "  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  testified  would  surely  come.  It  is  a  matter  of 
utmost  importance  to  Christians,  especially  to  the  rising 
generation  of  young  believers,  to  have  these  "  devices" 
of  the  devil  clearly  shown  up,  and  to  get  a  fresh  stand- 
ing on  the  Word  of  God.  For  the  young  seem  to  be 
losing  their  grip  on  the  fact  that  the  Bible  is  indeed  the 
Word  of  God.  The  great  familiarity  with  the  mere 
text  of  the  Scriptures  has  undoubtedly  much  to  do  with 
the  breaking  down  of  the  realizing  sense  among  the  ris- 
ing generation  of  its  being  indeed  the  Word  of  God, 
and  so  authoritative. 

Another  bad  result  from  the  evils  enumerated,  is  the 
difficulty  of  discerning  the  true  or  really  regenerate 
from  the  false  or  unregenerate,  in  the  great  mass  desig- 
nated ''  church  members." 

There  is  no  class  of  sinners  in  such  danger,  and  in 
such  need  of  heeding  the  warnings  of  .Scripture,  as 
these  imitation  Christians,  for  the  hypocrite  will  meet 
with  the  heaviest  condemnation  at  the  bar  of  God,  i.  e.^ 
those  ''having  the  form  of  godliness  but  denying  the 
power  thereof." 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  65 

How  deceived  are  those  masses  of  unsaved  persons 
who  are  allowed  and  urged  to  "  attend  church"  while 
remaining  unbelievers.  But  they  are  invited  to  *'join 
in  the  service"  and  '*  worship  with  us"  and  help  by 
contributing,  etc. 

They  think  that  somehow  there  is  some  good  in  thus 
'*  attending  church." 

Dressed  in  their  best,  they  feel  very  ''respectable," 
and  reason  that  if  Christians  are  labeled  as  *'  good," 
why  should  n't  they  be  ! 

The  trouble  is,  the  church  hardly  shows  anything 
more  than  a  well-dressed  respectability  before  the  world. 
And  how  should  the  worldling  discriminate? 

How  fearful  then  is  the  criminality  of  the  church  in 
thus  helping  to  deceive  sinners  !  •  This  is  again  one  of 
the  dire  results  of  public  worship. 

And  even  among  those  truly  regenerate,  how  much, 
or  how  little  is  there  rather,  of  truthful  witnessing  before 
the  world  ! 

Are  they  not  at  best  mostly  presented  to  the  world  as 
a  lot  of  "  good"  people?  But  does  not  the  world  mis- 
construe their  ''  goodness  "  into  self-righteousness  ;  after 
all  is  it  not  largely  that  indeed? 

Where  is  the  Paul-like  humility  confessing  that  in  his 
flesh  "dwelt  no  good"  and  that  he  was  a  ''chief  of 
sinners?  " 

Where  is  the  Paul-like  renunciation  of  all  self-right- 
eousness? Where  is  the  Paul-like  faith  and  love? 
Does  the  world  see  these  things  in  Christians?  Then 
are  Christians  faithful  witnesses?  Does  their  propriety 
5 


66  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

and  **  consistency"  glorify  the  Lord  Jesus?  And  what 
is  this  propriety  for  the  most  part  but  conformity  to  the 
requirements  of  refined  and  good  society  merely? 

How  does  that  in  any  way  glorify  Jesus,  the  Saviour 
of  sinners? 

Do  Christians  now  consider  pride,  greed  (or 
covetousness),  and  oppression  as  grievous  sins?  Is 
there  not  excessive  dullness  of  conscience  concerning 
these  sins? 

How  many  Christians  are  living  in  the  practice  of 
fornication  and  adultery,  and  even  sodomy  (unnatural 
lust  between  similar  sexes)  ? 

How  are  the  public  frequently  startled  by  the  report 
of  dishonesty  by  Christians  in  positions  of  trust. 

In  the  sixteenth  chapter  of  Ezekiel,  we  read  that  the 
conditions  producing  the  sin  of  sodomy  in  Israel  were 
pride,  plenty,  and  idleness.  Does  not  this  state  of 
things  exist  now?  Undoubtedly  the  wealth  of  Chris- 
tians now  is  one  of  the  most  serious  menaces  to  their 
spiritual  welfare.  The  accumulation  of  wealth  by 
Christians  is  contrary  to  the  general  teaching  of  the 
Word.  There  are  no  blessings  pronounced  on  the  rich 
in  the  epistles  to  the  churches,  but  only  the  most  serious 
warnings. 

Christian  brethren,  especially  young  Christian  breth- 
ren, it  is  written,  ''  Be  not  deceived,  God  is  not  mocked, 
whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap. 
For  he  that  soweth  to  his  flesh  shall  of  the  flesh  reap 
corruption  ;  but  he  that  soweth  to  the  Spirit,  shall  of  the 
Spirit  reap  life  everlasting."     And  ''  God  is  no  respec- 


COMING   JUDGMEN-T.  67 

tor  of  persons."  If  you  are  a  confessed  believer  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  and  yet  are  living  in  any  open  or  covered 
sin,  you  surely  will  have  to  feel  the  heavy  chastening 
rod  of  God,  and  I  would  you  might  be  spared,  hence 
this  warning. 

I  pray  God  that  He  would  lay  the  spirit  of  prayer  and 
supplication  upon  all  Christians  who  see  these  evils,  to 
separate  from  them,  and  pray  earnestly  and  pray  to- 
gether, and  pray  unceasingly  that  He  would  open  the 
eyes  of  true  Christians  to  these  deceptions  of  the  Adver- 
sary and  cause  them  to  once  more  stand  forth  in  clear 
testimony  to  the  truth  before  Jesus  comes  again.  For  it 
is  the  general  belief  of  the  most  enlightened  Christians 
everywhere,  that  we  are  very  near  to  the  close  of  this 
dispensation  or  age. 

Christians  should  meet  by  themselves  and  '*  break 
bread"  often  (the  early  Christians  did  so  at  least  every 
Lord's  Day)  whether  they  have  a  minister  or  not. 
There  is  not  a  definite  command,  or  even  a  teaching 
from  which  can  be  got  an  inference  that  an  officer  of 
the  church  is  necessary  to  ''  administer  the  ordinance." 
Only  the  older  ones,  the  **  elders,"  should  see  that  it  is 
done  decently  and  orderly,  with  reverence  '*  discerning 
the  Lord's  body." 

Not  only  is  the  partaking  of  the  communion  of  the 
Lord's  supper  a  command  to  be  obeyed,  but  it  is  also 
very  helpful  and  strengthening  to  the  believer,  espe- 
cially to  young  Christians ;  therefore  the  frequent  par- 
taking is  very  important.  The  remembrance  of  Christ 
thus  along  with   other  Christians  gives   the  fellowship 


68  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

that  is  so  beneficial.  Everything  that  helps  to  unite  by 
heart  Christian  brethren,  and  knit  them  together  in 
love,  is  very  important.  The  Holy  Spirit  urges  this  in 
the  many  commands  and  exhortations  in  the  Epistles. 

The  Adversary  also  knows  the  value  of  Christians  be- 
ing closely  united,  and  tries  by  every  means  to  prevent 
and  break  it  up. 

He  has  succeeded  through  the  present  system  exist- 
ing in  the  churches  to  an  alarming  degree,  resulting  in 
coldness  and  weakness.  As  coals  of  fire  lose  there 
glow  when  spread  apart,  but  burn  afresh  when  closely 
united;  so  with  believers. 

But  some  will  say,  Does  not  working  together  in 
'*  church  work"  tend  to  unite? 

No,  not  in  itself,  emphatically  no. 

They  may  be  and  many  times  are  closely  associated 
in  work,  and  at  the  same  time  their  hearts  are  eaten 
out  with  jealousy,  env}^  hatred,  and  strife.  Do  not 
such  things  grieve  and  quench  the  Spirit? 

The  present  system  is  largely  the  cause,  of  which 
these  things  are  the  inevitable  result. 

And  the  leaders  will  be  held  responsible,  for  do  they 
give  sufficient,  if  any,  warning?  How  can  they,  while 
so  blinded  and  enchained  by  the  ecclesiastical  evils  they 
are  maintaining  and  upholding?  They  are  first  and 
foremost  in  the  deceptive  toils  of  the  Adversary*.  May 
God  deliver  them  out  of  the  snare  of  the  Evil  One,  that 
they  with  others  **  may  be  recovered  who  now  are  taken 
captive  by  him  to  do  his  will."  *'  Awake  to  righteous- 
ness and  sin  not,"  is  the  exhortation  of  the  Spirit. 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  69 

Not  that  *'  perfection  "  is  to  be  expected,  either  in  the 
individual  Christian  or  the  assembly,  for  that  cannot  be 
as  long  as  Christians  are  in  the  body. 

But  if  they  really  have  allegiance  to  God's  Word  in 
their  heart,  their  **  faith"  ought  to  be  "shown  by 
works."  So  that  they  should  witness  against  this  gross 
departure,  and  show  their  own  renewed  obedience. 

Of  course  it  cannot  but  be  expected  that  any  intelli- 
gent reader  or  student  of  the  Word  will  have  opinions 
and  inferences  in  his  own  mind,  where  the  Scripture 
wording  is  obscure,  concerning  some  ecclesiastical 
practices.  But  that  is  very  different  from  making 
these  opinions  into  set  and  authoritative  church  "ordi- 
nances" and  "vows,"  making  them  binding  upon 
Christians.  It  works  harm,. and  must  necessarily.  It 
makes  Christians  with  a  morbidly  sensitive  conscience, 
despondent  over  their  failures  to  keep  them  ;  and  others 
with  a  dull  conscience,  careless  and  reckless.  Espe- 
cially as  these  binding  vows  are  not  accompanied  by 
the  helpfulness  that  would  enable  Christians  to  better 
keep  them. 

Wherein  is  Protestantism  a  whit  different  from 
Romanism  in  assuming  such  authority?  Practically 
saying,  whatever  the  Church  binds  or  loosens,  God 
ratifies.  (Christ  in  giving  the  "  keys  "  to  Peter,  called 
them  "keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  not  of  the 
Church  :  the  two  are  quite  distinct.  Christ  was  here, 
as  elsewhere,  evidently  addressing  the  disciples  as 
Jewish  believers ;  related  some  way  to  that  Jewish 
"  regeneration  "  yet  future.) 


70  COMING   JUDGMENT. 

There  are  Christian  '*  Brethren"  the  world  over  who 
meet  in  assemblies  without  any  such  vows  and  ordi- 
nances, and  are  they  any  less  orderly  or  lacking  in 
discipline  therefor?  Not  in  the  least,  as  far  as  the 
writer  knows. 

The  Word  of  God  is  the  true  light  for  the  present 
darkness,  as  much  as  at  any  previous  time  in  the 
Church's  history. 

For  God  has  declared,  *'For  as  the  rain  cometh 
down,  and  the  snow  from  heaven,  and  returneth  not 
thither,  but  watereth  the  earth,  and  maketh  it  bring 
forth  and  bud,  that  it  may  give  seed  to  the  sower  and 
bread  to  the  eater :  so  shall  my  word  be  that  goeth 
forth  out  of  my  mouth ;  it  shall  not  return  unto  me 
void  ;  but  it  shall  accomplish  that  which  I  please  ;  and 
it  shall  prosper  in  the  thing  whereto  I  sent  it." 

Therefore  Christian  teachers  and  preachers  need  not 
fear  to  proclaim  **the  faith  once  for  all  delivered  to 
the  saints,"  with  all  its  blessed  doctrines,  nor  timidly 
refrain  from  mentioning  some,  for  fear  it  will  do  harm. 
If  they  could  do  harm.  He  would  not  have  caused  them 
to  be  written. 

Undoubtedly  it  will  offend  some,  probably  many  ; 
for  "  the  offence  of  the  cross"  has  not  ceased,  although 
the  proclaiming  and  living  it  well  nigh  has.  It  always 
has  offended  from  the  time  of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  the 
Apostle  Paul  down,  wherever  it  has  been  faithfully 
proclaimed ;  and  the  only  reason  it  does  not  at  the 
present  day,  is,  not  that  human  nature  is  more  tolerant, 
but  that  the   gospel   is  so   altered   and   trimmed,   and 


COMING   JUDGMENT.  71 

offensive  doctrines  suppressed  or  explained  away,  that 
it  is  not  fairly  presented  to  the  world. 

The  Church  has  ceased  to  give  offence,  to  be  sure, 
but  along  with  it  has  come  the  sad  condition  oi  extreme 
spiritual  poverty  among  nearly  all  classes  of  Chris- 
tians. 

Let  Christians  renew. their  obedience  to  the  Spirit's 
commands  as  set  forth  in  the  epistles  to  the  churches, 
unhampered  and  uninfluenced  by  the  traditions  of  men, 
and  there  will  undoubtedly  follow  spiritual  health  and 
strength  to  man}^  that  now  languish  and  faint,  and  a 
continual  *' adding  to  the  Lord"  *'of  such  as  are 
ordained  to  eternal  life." 


LOVE. 

THE    GREATEST    THING    IN   THE    CHURCH, 


In  the  epistles  of  both  Paul,  Peter,  and  John  this  is 
prominently  set  forth.  John  is  called  the  '*  loving  disci- 
ple," and  some  might  claim  that  he  pre-eminently 
shows  forth  this  doctrine.  But  no,  Paul  is  the  leader. 
Evidently  Paul  was  not  like  John,  naturally  affectionate 
or  loving.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  hard  to  conceive 
of  John  as  persecuting  even  heretics,  nor  was  he  of  the 
same  forceful  nature  as  Paul.  All  goes  to  show,  how- 
ever, that  Paul's  great  love  was  not  his  own,  but  the 
*'love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  his  heart,"  that  worked 
out  in  the  yearning,  laboring,  and  suffering  he  so 
eminently  exhibited  throughout  his  Christian  career  in 
behalf  of  the  Christian  converts  the  Lord  Jesus  had 
given  him,  whom  he  frequently  calls  his  children. 

In  the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  in  the  opening  chapter, 
is  shown  his  yearning  love  for  those  Christians  in  his 
unceasing  prayer  for  them.  In  the  first  verse  of  the 
tenth  chapter  is  seen  his  great  desire  for  the  salvation 
of  his  own  nation;  also  11:14  shows  the  same.  In 
the  closing   chapter  there  are  several   exhortations  to 


LOVE.  73 

love  the  brethren,  viz.,  12  .-9,  '*love  w^ithout  dissimula- 
tion;" loth  verse,  .  .  .  *'in  honor  preferring  one 
another;"  13:8,  ''owe  no  man  anything  but  to  love 
one  another;"  10th  verse,  ''love  is  a  fulfilling  of  the 
law." 

The  last  verses  of  the  14th  chapter  are  an  exhortation 
to  regard  the  welfare  of  other  brethren,  and  not  one's 
own  ease  and  comfort,  continuing  in  the  first  seven 
verses  of  the  15th  chapter.  Note  Paul's  tender  regard 
for  others'  rights  in  the  matter  of  preaching,  in  the 
twentieth  verse.  In  the  i6th  chapter  are  instances 
noted  of  those  who  have  in  love  risked  their  own  lives 
for  Paul's  sake. 

In  I  Cor.  4:14,  he  warns  Christians  as  "beloved 
sons,"  etc.  In  the  first  verse  of  the  eighth  chapter  he 
says  "knowledge  puffeth  up  but  love  buildeth  up." 
Then  follows  the  exhortation  to  have  a  regard  for  the 
weak  consciences  of  other  Christians,  closing  in  the 
thirteenth  verse  with  that  loving  vow  not  to  offend  *'  my 
brother.*'  In  11:22,  "I  am  made  all  things  to  all  men 
that  I  might  by  all  means  save  some  ; "  what  an  exhibi- 
tion of  self-sacrificing  love  !  Also  10  :  33,  "  Even  as  I 
please  all  men  in  all  things,  not  seeking  my  own  profit, 
but  the  profit  of  many,"  etc.  The  13th  chapter  is  the 
strongest  passage  in  all  his  epistles  setting  forth  the 
important  place  of  "love"  in  the  "Body  of  Christ," 
the  church.  "And  now  abideth  faith,  hope,  love,  these 
three ;  but  the  greatest  of  these  is  love."  Some  in 
commenting  on  this  verse  have  declared  that  it  states 
that  the  greatest  thing  in  the  world  is  love.     Perhaps  it 


74  LOVE. 

is  the  greatest  thing  **  in  the  world,"  but  this  Scripture 
does  not  say  so. 

In  the  previous  chapter  is  stated  the  oneness  of  the 
*'  Body  "  with  its  various  '*  gifts  "  through  the  indwelling 
Spirit ;  then  the  13th  chapter  is  the  culmination  of  the 
argument,  showing  that  ''love"  is  over  and  above  all 
gifts  and  knowledge — and  even  when  these  shall  have 
passed  away  there  remaineth  these  three  graces,  and 
the  greatest  of  them  is  "love" — evidently  in  the 
church. 

In  the  fourteenth  verse  of  the  last  chapter  is  the 
exhortation,  "  Let  all  your  things  be  done  with  love." 

In  the  second  letter  to  the  Corinthians,  chapter  2  14, 
he   speaks   of  his   writing  ''with    many  tears     . 
that  ye  might  know  the  love  which  I  have  more  abun- 
dantly unto  you. 

That  "wicked  person"  (the  fornicator)  had  to  be 
put  away  from  among  them,  but  now,  having  undoubt- 
edly repented,  they  are  to  receive  him  and  "  confirm 
their  love  toward  him." 

In  8  : 4  is  a  marked  exhibition  of  the  working  of  real 
love  in  those  Christians  ;  in  fact  the  first  fifteen  verses 
of  the  chapter  show  the  spirit  of  Christian  love  in  the 
liberal  giving  to  needy  brethren.  And  yet  no  one 
burdened,  but  "by  an  equality"  those  helped  at  one 
time  become  the  helpers  at  another  time.  Notice  twice 
in  the  chapter  (verses  eight  and  twenty-four)  the 
necessity  of  proving  of  love  is  spoken  of.  Then  the 
whole  9th  chapter  is  a  continuation  of  this  particular 
subject  of  ministering  to  saints  as  an  emphatic  way  of 


LOVE.  75 


showing  Christian  love.  Then  follow  two  or  three 
incidental  remarks  showing  Paul's  personal  burning 
love  tow^ard  the  Christians  he  has  espoused  to  Christ, 
e,  g.^  11:9,  .  •  •  *' in  all  things  I  have  kept 
m3^self  from  being  burdensome  unto  you,  and  so  will 
I  keep  myself;"  and  twenty-eighth  verse,  in  all  his 
troubles  he  still  bore  the  burden  of  the  care  of  the 
churches.  And  note  the  minute  detail  of  his  love, 
**  Who  is  weak,  and  I  am  not  weak  (in  sympathy),  who 
is  offended  (injured  or  stumbled),  and  I  burn  not?" 
Also  in  12  :  15,  he  gladly  spends  and  is  spent  for  them, 
though  the  more  abundantly  he  loves,  the  less  he  is 
loved.  This  evidently  is  not  merely  natural  tender- 
heartedness— it  is  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  his 
heart.  In  verse  nineteenth  see  how  careful  he  is  that 
everything  he  does  should  be  for  their  building  up. 

In  his  letter  to  the  Galatians  is  the  same  personal 
love  shown  and  the  same  teaching  of  love  to  the 
brethren.  He  says  :  '*  My  little  children  ...  by 
love  serve  one  another,"  ''Bear  ye  one  another's  bur- 
dens," etc.  And  6  :  10,  "As  we  have  therefore  oppor- 
tunity, let  us  do  good  unto  all,  especially  unto  them 
who  are  of  the  household  of  the  faith."  For  they  were 
to  have  faith  which  worked  by  love. 

The  doctrine  of  love  to  the  brethren  as  being  of  first 
importance  is  put  forth  very  pointedly  in  the  epistle  to 
the  Ephesians.  In  the  first  place  Paul  gives  thanks  for 
their  "^  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  love  unto  all  the 
saints."  Further  exhortations  to  love  are  seen  in  4  :  2, 
'*  With  all  lowliness  and  meekness  with  long-suffering. 


76  LOVE. 


forbearing  one  another  in  love;"  fifteenth  verse, 
**  Speaking  the  truth  in  love  .  .  .  maketh  increase 
of  the  body  unto  the  building  up  of  itself  in  love ;  *' 
thirty-second  verse,  *'And  be  ye  kind  one  to  another," 
etc.;  5:2,  **walk  in  love,"  etc;  twenty-first  verse, 
'*  Submitting  yourselves  one  to  another  in  the  fear  of 
Christ"  (humility  of  love). 

In  the  epistle  to  the  Philippians  he  opens  with  the 
prayer  that  their  *'love  may  abound  yet  more  and 
more,"  etc.  Then  in  2  :  2-4  the  lowliness  of  love  is  set 
forth,  giving  Christ  himself  as  an  example.  Now  in 
the  opening  of  the  epistle  to  the  Colossians,  we  find 
again  as  in  Ephesians,  Paul  gives  thanks  to  God  for 
their  "faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  and  love  to  all  the 
saints."  This  surely  is  worthy  of  remark  and  close 
attention,  for  in  such  a  place  as  the  opening  salutation 
we  might  rightly  expect  to  find  something  of  emphatic 
import.  He  would  speak  of  things  of  first  importance, 
not  of  slight  import.  What  do  we  find?  He  does  not 
speak  of  their  zeal  in  work  of  any  kind,  whether  for 
the  salvation  of  souls  or  otherwise.  But  instead,  these 
two  things  are  constantly  emphasized,  faith  and  love. 

We  may  well  inquire, — Is,  then,  the  greatest  thing  in 
the  church,  working  for  the  salvation  of  souls?  Is  it 
the  first  and  greatest  command?  The  fact  is,  upon 
searching  the  epistles  carefully,  nothing  can  be  found 
as  an  exhortation  or  command  to  that  effect,  but  instead 
this  oft-repeated  command,  **  Love  one  another." 

Paul's  love  for  the  Colossian  Christian  is  incidentally 
shown  in   i  :  24,  his  sufferings  being  for  the  sake  of  the 


LOVE.  77 

church.  In  2:2  he  desires  that  their  hearts  may  be 
**knit  together  in  love,"  and  verse  19  the  body  of 
believers  being  thus  ''  knit  together,  increaseth  with  the 
increase  of  God."  In  3  :  12-16  is  again  shown  the 
necessity  of  the  humility  of  love. 

In  the  opening  of  the  epistle  to  the  Thessalonians, 
he  *' remembers"  their  "work  of  faith,  labor  of  love, 
and  patience  of  hope,"  things  evidently  of  first  impor- 
tance. In  3  : 6  we  see  he  is  greatly  comforted  upon 
Timothy  bringing  news  of  their  faith  and  love',  and  in 
the  twelfth  verse  he  prays  fhat  their  "love  may 
increase  and  abound  one  toward  another  and  toward 
all,"  etc.  In  4  rp-iz  he  desires  that  they  increase  more 
and  more  in  loving  one  another. 

Again,  in  the  opening  of  his  second  epistle  he  thanks 
God  that  their  "  faith  groweth  exceedingly  and  the 
love  of  every  one  of  you  all  toward  each  other 
aboundeth."  The  next  verse  speaks  of  their  patience 
and  faith,  but  nothing  about  work.  Paul's  own  tender 
regard  for  them  is  shown  incidentally  in  both  epistles  : 
first  2  :  9  and  second  3  :  8,  in  his  laboring  night  and  day 
so  as  not  to  be  a  burden  to  them. 

In  the  pastoral  epistles  to  Timothy,  Paul  still  sets 
forth  "love"  prominently.  In  1:5,  "the  end  of  the 
charge  is  love  out  of  a  pure  heart,"  etc.  ;  verse  four- 
teen, "the  grace  of  our  Lord  was  exceeding  abundant 
with  faith  and  love  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 

In  1:16-18  he  speaks  of  the  love  of  Onesiphorus 
(which  means  "  yielding  profit")  in  ministering  to  him 
(Paul)  both  in  Rome   and  Ephesus,  seeking  him  out 


78  LOVE. 


very  diligently  and  finding  him.  How  often  are  Chris- 
tians found  now  "  seeking  out  ver}'-  diligently  and 
finding  "  other  Christians  in  need  and  ministering  to 
them?  Undoubtedly  there  are  many  having  the  Spirit, 
and  who  would  be  willing  to  ;  but  they  are  not  taught 
that  this  is  a  thing  of  great  importance,  but  rather  their 
attention  is  kept  on  the  supposed  need  of  supporting 
some  particular  local  church,  or  that  their  teaching  a 
Sunday-school  class  or  mission  class  is  the  all-important 
thing.  But  really,  were  the  inspired  epistles  given 
for  our  guidance  or  not?  It  would  seem  by  the  way 
these  commands  are  ignored,  that  they  were  not. 

The  short  epistle  to  Philemon  is  a  gem  just  sparkling 
with  the  love  and  tender  regard  of  Paul's  spirit  filled 
with  the  love  of  God.  And  here  again  he  thanks  God 
for  the  "love  and  faith  which  thou  hast  toward  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  toward  all  saints."  The  slave  Onesi- 
mus  now  becomes  the  "brother  beloved."  Paul's  plead- 
ing for  him  in  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  verses  is 
very  tender.  In  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  there  is  not 
much  doctrine  concerning  personal  conduct ;  but  yet 
one  or  two  passages  are  very  plain.  In  6 :  lo,  "For 
God  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget  your  work  and  love, 
which  ye  have  shewed  toward  his  name,  in  that  ye 
have  ministered  to  the  saints  and  do  minister."  Also  in 
the  last  chapter,  first,  third,  and  sixteenth  verses,  "  Let 
love  of  the  brethren  continue,"  "But  to  do  good  and 
communicate,  forget  not:  for  with  such  sacrifices  God 
is  well  pleased."  In  Acts  20 :  18,  35  Paul  rehearses  to 
the  Ephesian  Elders  his  work  and  manner  of  conduct 


LOVE.  79 

among  them.  All  going  to  show  his  zeal,  to  be  sure, 
but  also  his  tender-hearted  love  toward  them  in  a  most 
wonderful  degree.  Paul  is  evidently  so  burning  with 
love  to  the  saints,  that  his  speaking  of  it  so  often  can- 
not savor  of  egotism.  A  man  who  could  so  suffer  for 
others,  and  labor  night  and  day  to  relieve  them  of  the 
burden  of  his  support,  and  who  is  so  quick  to  notice 
and  willing  to  recognize  the  loving  ministrations  of 
others  cannot  be  suspected  of  any  hypocrisy  in  his 
statements  in  regard  to  his  own  love. 

In  James's  epistle  the  same  doctrine  is  taught  as  2:1, 
the  not  making  any  distinction  between  the  rich  and 
the  poor  in  the  Christian  assembly.  And  in  4:11,  to 
avoid  evil  speaking  of  one  another.  In  praying  for  one 
another,  etc.,  and  in  ''  converting"  the  '*  erring  brother." 

In  Peter's  first  epistle  the  doctrine  is  emphasized  by 
several  passages ;  though  Peter  never  speaks  of  his 
own  love  to  the  saints.  In  1:22,  *' Seeing  ye  have 
purified  your  souls  in  obeying  the  truth  through  the 
Spirit  unto  unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren,  love  one 
another  with  a  pure  heart  fervently,"  and  in  2  :  17, 
**love  the  brotherhood,"  and  in  3:8,  "Finally  be  ye 
all  of  one  mind  having  compassion  one  of  another,  love 
as  brethren,  be  pitiful,  courteous,"  etc.  In  4:8,  10, 
**And  above  all  things  have  fervent  love  among 
yourselves.  .  .  .  Use  hospitality  one  to  another. 
.  As  ever}^  man  hath  received  the  gift,  minister 
the  same  one  to  another,"  etc.,  also  5:5,  .  .  .  '*  all 
of  you  be  subject  one  to  another,  and  be  clothed  with 
humility,"  etc. 


8o  LOVE. 


Peter's  love  for  Paul  is  shown  in  his  second  epistle, 
3  :  15,  showing  he  held  no  ill  will  toward  him,  though 
Paul  had  *'  withstood  him  to  the  face  "  at  one  time. 

In  John's  epistles  the  doctrine  of  loving  the  brethren 
is  made  of  first  importance  also.  In  his  gospel  he 
records  the  Lord  Jesus  giving  of  his  **  new  command- 
ment," repeating  it  three  times.  So  again  in  the 
epistles  he  repeats  it  three  times,  besides  continual 
reference  to  it  in  many  other  passages. 

It  seems  that  the  utmost  emphasis  was  intended  by 
the  Spirit  to  be  given  to  this  subject  of  *' love,"  being 
the  thing  of  first  importance  in  the  church. 

Jude's  short  epistle  contains  no  statement  of  doctrine, 
but  merely  showing  the  culmination  of  evil  in  Chisten- 
dom  ("  leaven  "  fully  worked)  and  impending  judgment. 

So  we  see  that  by  taking  the  consensus  of  all  the 
epistles,  the  doctrine  of  loving  the  brethren  is  no  mere 
exhortation  of  slight  moment,  but  a  command  of  first 
importance,  indeed  the  first.  The  churches,  leaders, 
and  teachers  have  not  so  taught,  do  not  so  teach. 
There  has  been  a  departing  from  the  Word  here  also, 
and  a  following  of  the  traditions  of  men  instead.  In 
considering  any  matter  whatever  it  is  very  important  to 
have  correct  definitions. 

Now  in  this  matter  it  must  not  be  supposed  that 
Scriptural  or  Christian  'Move"  is  the  same  thing  as  in 
earthly  relations, — as  parental  or  filial  love,  or  the 
strong  sentiment  between  'Movers."  Much  less  is  it 
mere  aflfection  as  felt  between  friends ;  nor  still  less 
mere  animal  aflfectionateness. 


LOVE.  8 1 


We  have  a  definite  statement  of  what  it  is  in  that 
passage  in  I  John  3  :  16,  "  Hereby  perceive  we  love" 
(''of  God  "  is  not  in  the  original  Greek),  as 
if  it  said,  here  is  a  sample  of  real  love,  "in  that  He, 
(/.  e.,  the  Lord  Jesus),  laid  down  his  life  for  us,  and 
we  ought  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  the  brethren."  In 
a  word  then,  Christian  love  is  having  at  heart  the  wel- 
fare of  other  Christians,  and  willingness  to  work  for 
that  end,  even  to  the  extent  of  suffering  some  loss  or 
inconvenience  one's  self.  More  than  that  even  to  the 
loss  of  one's  own  life  if  necessary. 

Christians  although  saved  as  to  their  future  life,  yet 
need  '*  saving"  in  many  wa3^s  in  this  life;  hence  the 
many  commands  in  the  epistles  to  that  effect,  briefly 
comprehended  in  '*  ministering  tp  the  saints." 

There  has  been  a  time  in  the  church's  history  when 
"faith"  has  received  special  emphasis.  Then  a  time 
when  the  "hope"  had  especial  emphasis.  Now  it 
seems  as  if  it  was  high  time  that  the  last  and  greatest 
of  the  three,  viz.,  "  love,"  should  be  emphasized  in  the 
church. 

Not  merely  by  preaching  about  it,  or  writing  Bible- 
readings  or  black-board  exercises  on  it,  but  by  living  it 
in  acts  of  necessary  work ;  obeying  these  scores  of 
commands  given  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  epistles. 
How  is  allegiance  or  obedience  to  the  Holy  Spirit 
shown?     By  obedience  to  these  written  commands. 

Not  by  obeying  the  vagaries  of  an  "inward  voice," 
mistakenly  supposed  to  be  the  "voice  of  the  Spirit." 
The  Adversary  can  produce  such  "voices,"  or  they 
6 


82  LOVE. 


may  be  simply  out  of  one's  own  mind,  and  that  is  prob- 
ably what  they  generally  are. 

Fellow  Christian  reading  this,  whoever  you  may  be, 
beloved  of  God,  make  this  a  personal  matter,  bringing 
it  before  God  in  prayer,  asking  him  to  direct  you  in 
your  '*  ministering."  He  will  lead  mostly  by  what 
might  be  termed  providential  circumstances,  bringing 
you  face  to  face  with  things  needing  to  be  done.  Only 
one  must  have  quick  perception  to  see,  and  the  willing 
heart  to  do  at  the  moment.  '*  Do  good  unto  all,  espe- 
cially unto  them  of  the  household  of  faith." 

*'  By  this  shall  all  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if 
ye  have  love  one  to  another." 

RAISED    WITH    CHRIST. 

We  thank  thee  our  moirt  gracious  Lord, 
For  love  that  drew4»/with  a  cord. 
The  net  of  grace  that  took  us  in 
Ajid  cleansed  us  from  our  guilt  and  sin. 

Thy  love  in  Christ  shall  never  end, 
But  to  eternal  ages,  lend 
The  strength  and  sweetness  of  the  song, 
That  to  Thy  risen  saints  belong. 

For  raised  from  death,  no  more  to  die, 
We  shall  in  glory,  by  and  by 
(When  Thou  dost  come  to  take  thy  place 
As  Head  of  the  redeemed  race). 

Be  raptured  up ;  then  as  thy  own 
Blood-purchased  Bride,  wilt  share  thy  throne. 
And  through  the  coming  ages  show 
What  wondrous  grace  thou  could'st  bestow. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

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